Taking humanoid soccer to the subsequent degree: An interview with RoboCup trustee Alessandra Rossi

A core goal of RoboCup is to advertise and advance robotics and AI analysis by means of the challenges supplied by its numerous leagues. The final word aim of the soccer competitors is that, by 2050, a crew of totally autonomous humanoid robots will defeat the newest winner of the FIFA World Cup. To carry this imaginative and prescient nearer to actuality, the RoboCup Federation has introduced a number of modifications to the leagues. We spoke with Alessandra Rossi, a trustee who has been concerned within the humanoid soccer league for a few years, to be taught extra.

Might you begin by introducing your self and inform us the way you’ve been concerned in RoboCup all through the years, since you’ve been concerned in so many facets of the competitors!

I’m Alessandra Rossi from the College of Naples “Federico II”, the place I’m an Assistant Professor of Pc Science. I started working with and collaborating in RoboCup in 2016, after I began my PhD on the College of Hertfordshire within the UK. I’m nonetheless affiliated with the College of Hertfordshire, as I stay a member of the humanoid KidSize crew Daring Hearts, the longest repeatedly lively crew within the UK. After a couple of years, I grew to become the crew chief of Daring Hearts.

In 2019, I grew to become a member of each the Technical Committee and the Organizing Committee of the Humanoid League. After serving on the Technical Committee for 2 years, I used to be elected to the Government Committee of the Humanoid League. In 2025, I used to be elected to the Board of Trustees for the primary time.

Through the years, I’ve steadily elevated my involvement and dedication to RoboCup. I’ve at all times sought to actively have interaction the RoboCup group, each throughout competitions and out of doors of competitors intervals. I additionally work to encourage engagement between the main and junior leagues and to take part in regional RoboCup occasions.

Whereas working on the College of Hertfordshire as a Visiting Lecturer, we launched an internet module that makes use of RoboCup as a benchmark for instructing robotics to undergraduate college students. The module remains to be operating. I initially served because the module chief, and this position has since been taken over by our Daring Hearts teammate, Bente Riegler.

Final yr, Maike Paetzel-Prüsmann, Merel Keijsers, and I (as lead authors), in collaboration with a number of trustees and lots of members from totally different leagues, revealed a paper on the present and future challenges in humanoid robotics. The paper was revealed in Autonomous Robots and is, to the very best of my information, the primary to contain such a big and numerous group of contributors from throughout the RoboCup leagues. It discusses analysis inside RoboCup and the collaboration and synergies between the leagues.

Group picture of the humanoid league groups at RoboCup 2025.

I perceive that there are some modifications deliberate for the leagues. Might say one thing about that, and particularly the modifications that have an effect on the soccer and the humanoid aspect.

The 2050 aim of the RoboCup Federation, as many individuals are most likely conscious, is for a crew of humanoid robots to play towards the winners of the FIFA World Cup. To realize this, it’s essential to push additional in that course. One of many key modifications, subsequently, shall be a stronger give attention to humanoid robots.

One other main change would be the merger of the Commonplace Platform League (SPL) and the KidSize Humanoid League. This merged league could have the liberty to outline its precise format and to develop a brand new roadmap that aligns your complete league towards a shared goal. Whereas the 2050 aim itself stays unchanged, the trail towards attaining it can should be adjusted.

It’s essential to proceed fostering the engagement of groups within the leagues that shall be affected by these modifications. On the similar time, we should acknowledge that know-how is advancing quickly. Over the previous yr, particularly, we’ve seen important progress in each {hardware} platforms and enormous language fashions. As RoboCup serves as a world benchmark for robotics analysis, we should always repeatedly try to advance know-how and analysis—whereas nonetheless having enjoyable.

Soccer is the advanced process and conduct we’re finding out, and it’s advanced in lots of dimensions: from bodily management and robotic movement, to communication and technique, and even human-like interactions. These embrace responding to the referee’s whistle, verbal and non-verbal communication amongst crew members, interactions with the coach, and communication with the referee. All of those facets will in the end should be integrated into the humanoid league.

The RoboCup Federation has agreed some new partnerships with Unitree, Fourier and Booster. What affect will this have on the humanoid league? Will there be a normal platform component with groups utilizing a selected humanoid robotic?

I consider we’ll see a mixture of totally different robots. With the three firms presently sponsoring RoboCup, we’ve already seen that their robots can obtain a variety of behaviors, and there have been important enhancements in robotic management. A few of these robots can stroll in a short time—nearly to the purpose of operating.

Initially, there could also be the potential of a number of groups utilizing the identical platform. Nonetheless, we should understand that each {hardware} and software program can change into out of date in a short time, so we have to stay open to a number of choices. A robotic that’s cutting-edge right this moment could now not be so in a yr or two. In consequence, committing to a single normal platform may restrict future progress.

For that reason, the present thought is to stay open to a number of platforms. Many groups have already got wonderful custom-built robots, and additional enhancements to those platforms must be inspired. That mentioned, the precise construction has not but been determined, and these choices shall be made in session with the groups. You will need to give the RoboCup group the time it must adapt and transfer ahead.

There have been some massive advances within the humanoid adult-size league previously couple of years. What enhancements stood out to you at RoboCup2025 in Brazil?

One main change is that we’ve added additional robots to every crew. Beforehand, groups performed with simply two robots per aspect, however matches at the moment are performed three versus three.

One other necessary enchancment is the lowered presence of people on the sphere. There isn’t any longer a handler assigned to every robotic. Up to now, a crew member needed to stroll behind the robots in case they fell and risked being broken.

I’ve truly performed in a match towards the profitable humanoid crew. Naturally, the human crew received, nevertheless it was an pleasurable and really attention-grabbing recreation, because the robots have been surprisingly quick.

Motion from the human vs humanoid match at RoboCup 2025.

Additional motion from the human vs humanoid match at RoboCup 2025.

What has been the final response from the RoboCup group to the modifications? I assume it depends upon which league you’re in as to how a lot it impacts you.

Sure, it depends upon which league you might be a part of. The reactions have been a mixture of pleasure and fervour. After all, everyone seems to be eager to see enhancements, and members have at all times been ready for modifications to the foundations and the league constructions. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless some open questions, and groups are ready to see how issues will evolve. Tomorrow, there shall be a gathering with the President and several other trustees to handle questions raised by the leagues.

The general course of RoboCup, guided by the 2050 aim has not modified. Every league has been extraordinarily priceless and has contributed in numerous methods towards attaining that aim. RoboCup has additionally been immensely priceless for robotics analysis extra broadly. Past being enjoyable, the challenges concerned in making robots play soccer are terribly advanced. The analysis and options developed inside RoboCup may be utilized to many different fields and purposes.

About Alessandra Rossi

Alessandra is Assistant Professor on the College of Naples Federico II, Italy. Her PhD thesis was a part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Analysis ETN SECURE undertaking on the College of Hertfordshire (UK). Her analysis pursuits embrace Human–(Multi) Robotic Interplay, social robotics, belief, XAI, multi-agent methods and person profiling. She is Challenge Supervisor and co-supervisor of the MSCA PERSEO (955778), TRAIL (101072488) and SWEET (101168792). She can also be co-PI of the undertaking ERROR (FA8655-23-1-7060), and a part of a number of nationwide and worldwide tasks. Alessandra can also be trustee member of RoboCup Federation, and member of the Humanoid League crew known as Daring Hearts. She is Chair of the IEEE P3108 “Examine Design”, and a member of the “Appendix” teams, she is Program Chair of IEEE RO-MAN 2027, she has been Robotic Problem Chair at ICSR 2025, Particular Session Chair of IEEE RO-MAN 2024, Publicity Chair of IEEE RO-MAN 2022 and 2023, Organising Chair of the twenty sixth RoboCup Worldwide Symposium 2023, and he or she is on this system committee of a number of worldwide conferences on human–robotic interplay and synthetic intelligence.

tags: RoboCup