The Salvador Conference Heart, the place RoboCup 2025 will happen.
RoboCup is a world scientific initiative with the aim of advancing the cutting-edge of clever robots, AI and automation. The annual RoboCup occasion, the place groups collect from throughout the globe to participate in competitions throughout a lot of leagues, will this yr happen in Brazil, from 15-21 July. We spoke to Marco Simões, one of many Normal Chairs of RoboCup 2025 and President of RoboCup Brazil, to search out out what plans they’ve for the occasion, some new initiatives, and the way RoboCup has grown in Brazil over the previous ten years.
Marco Simões
Might you give us a fast introduction to RoboCup 2025?
RoboCup will likely be held in Salvador, Brazil. When RoboCup was held in Brazil 11 years in the past, in 2014, we had a complete of 100,000 guests, in order that was a terrific success. This yr, we anticipate much more, round 150,000, throughout all of the occasions. These days, AI and robotics are attracting extra consideration. We’re additionally in a city, Salvador, with a much bigger inhabitants than the earlier location (João Pessoa). For these causes, we estimate the attendance to be about 150,000 folks.
Concerning the variety of groups, registration has not closed but, so we’re uncertain in regards to the remaining numbers. Nonetheless, we anticipate to have about 300-400 groups and round 3000 opponents. We’ve got been serving to with visas, so we hope to see greater participation from groups who couldn’t attend within the earlier two years as a result of visa points. We’re doing our greatest to make sure folks can come and have enjoyable at RoboCup!
That is additionally a terrific yr for the RoboCup group: We’ve got simply agreed on new world league companions, together with the Chinese language firms Unitree, Fourier, and Booster Robotics. They may deliver their humanoids and four-legged robots to RoboCup. These is not going to solely be flaunted to the general public but in addition utilized by some groups. They’re wonderful robots with superb abilities. So, I feel this will likely be a tremendous version of RoboCup this yr.
Did the 2014 occasion in Brazil encourage extra groups to take part in RoboCup?
Sure, now we have seen a major improve in our RoboCup group. Within the final two years, Brazil has had the fourth-largest variety of groups and members at RoboCup in Bordeaux (2023) and Eindhoven (2024). This was a really massive improve as a result of ten years in the past, we weren’t even within the high eight or 9.
We’ve made a major effort with RoboCupJunior within the final ten years. Most individuals who’ve taken half in RoboCupJunior have carried on and joined the RoboCup Main League. So, the variety of groups in Brazil has been growing yr by yr over the past ten years. This yr, now we have a large number of members due to the decrease journey prices. We expect to be within the high three this yr by way of the very best variety of members.
Picture of Individuals at Robocup 2024, which Took Place in Eindhoven. Picture Credit score: Robocup/Bart van Overbeeke
It’s spectacular that so many RoboCupJunior members go on to hitch a Main League group.
Sure, now we have an initiative right here in Brazil known as the Brazilian Robotics Olympiad. On this occasion, we selected two Junior Leagues – OnStage and the Rescue Line League – and we organized a contest primarily based on these two Leagues. We run it in regional competitions throughout Brazil – so 27 states. We set up at the least one competitors in every state through the yr, and the very best groups from every state come to the nationwide competitors along with the Main Leagues. We set up the Brazilian Olympiad to get RoboCupJunior to extra college students. That is how we’ve managed to extend participation in RoboCupJunior. Then, when college students go to school, lots of them proceed to take part, however within the Main Leagues. In order that’s a really profitable technique we’ve utilized in Brazil within the final 10 years.
Might you inform us about some extra of the highlights from the Brazilian RoboCup group lately?
Two or three years in the past, one of many Brazilian groups was the champion of RoboCup @Residence. We’ve got seen a giant improve within the variety of groups within the @Residence League. Within the nationwide competitors in Brazil, now we have greater than 12 groups collaborating. Again in 2014, we solely had one group collaborating. So we’ve had a terrific improve—this League is without doubt one of the highlights in Brazil.
Extra groups are additionally collaborating within the Small Dimension League (a part of the soccer League). Two years in the past, one of many Brazilian groups was the champion of the division B of the Small Dimension League. So, over the past 5 years, we’ve seen some Brazilian groups within the high three positions in Main Leagues within the RoboCup world competitors. This can be a results of the rise within the variety of groups and the standard of what the groups are growing. So presently, now we have an elevated variety of publications and groups collaborating within the competitors with good outcomes, in order that’s crucial.
One other wonderful contribution for this yr is a league we created 5 years in the past – a flying robotic league, the place autonomous drones carry out some missions and duties. We’ve proposed this League as a demo for RoboCup2025, and we can have a Flying Robotic Demo on the competitors this yr. This would be the first time we’ll have autonomous drones on the RoboCup competitors, and the Brazilian group proposed it.
RoboCup @Residence with Toyota HSR robots within the Home Commonplace Platform League, RoboCup 2024. Picture: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke.
Will you be collaborating within the competitors this yr, or will you be focusing totally in your function as Normal Chair?
This yr, my laboratory (ACSO/Uneb) has certified for the 3d Simulation League (soccer), the Flying Robotic Demo, and RoboCup @Residence, so we’re collaborating in three Leagues. We additionally supervise RoboCupJunior Groups within the Rescue Simulation League. This yr, my college students have had solely a little bit supervision from me as a result of I’ve been very engaged with the group.
In our 3D simulation group, now we have numerous developments with deep reinforcement studying and a few new novel methods that enable our groups to realize new abilities, and we’re combining the brand new abilities with our former multi-agent coordination technique. Because of this, I feel we can have a strong group within the competitors as a result of we aren’t solely engaged on abilities, we’re additionally engaged on multi-agency methods. When each elements are joined, you’ll be able to have a extremely good soccer group that performs very nicely. We’ve got an excellent group and anticipate to attain a larger place this yr. Within the latter years, we had been within the high 4 or 5, however we hope to get into the highest three this yr.
In 3D, you not solely work on multi-agent elements but in addition must work on abilities similar to strolling, kicking, and operating. Groups are actually making an attempt to develop new abilities. For instance, lately, our group has developed the dash operating motion, which was a results of deep reinforcement studying. It isn’t a pure operating movement however a operating motion that works in line with the League’s guidelines. It makes the robots go very quick from one level to a different, making the group very aggressive.
Most groups are studying abilities however don’t know exploit them strategically within the recreation. Our focus just isn’t solely on creating new abilities but in addition on utilizing them strategically. We’re at present engaged on a really modern method.
This yr, the simulation league will run a problem utilizing a brand new simulator primarily based on MuJoCo. If the problem goes nicely, we could transfer to this new simulator within the following years, which might extra realistically simulate actual humanoid robots.
Motion from the semi-finals of RoboCup Soccer Humanoid League at RoboCup 2024. Picture: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke.
Lastly, is there anything you’d like to focus on about RoboCup2025?
We’re engaged on partnerships with native firms. For instance, now we have sponsorship from Petrobras, one of many largest oil firms on this planet. They may talk about how they’re utilizing robotics and AI of their trade. They had been additionally one of many first sponsors of the Flying Robots League. It’s essential to have these hyperlinks between trade and the RoboCup group.
We even have wonderful assist from native firms and the federal government. They are going to be displaying the group their newest developments. Within the Rescue League, for instance, we’ll have an indication from the native pressure displaying what they do to assist folks in catastrophe conditions.
This occasion can be a wonderful alternative for RoboCuppers, particularly those that have by no means been to Brazil, to spend some days after the occasion in Salvador, visiting some vacationer spots. Salvador was the primary Brazilian capital, so now we have a wealthy historical past. There are numerous historic websites to see and a few nice leisure choices, similar to seashores or events. Individuals can have enjoyable and benefit from the nation!
About Marco
Marco Simões is an Affiliate Professor at Bahia State College, Salvador, Brazil. He’s the Normal Chair of RoboCup2025, and President of RoboCup Brazil.
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