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

A core goal of RoboCup is to advertise and advance robotics and AI analysis via the challenges provided by its varied leagues. The final word aim of the soccer competitors is that, by 2050, a workforce of absolutely autonomous humanoid robots will defeat the latest winner of the FIFA World Cup. To deliver this imaginative and prescient nearer to actuality, the RoboCup Federation has introduced a number of adjustments 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.

May 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 features 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 workforce Daring Hearts, the longest repeatedly lively workforce within the UK. After a number of years, I turned the workforce chief of Daring Hearts.

In 2019, I turned 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 all the time sought to actively have interaction the RoboCup group, each throughout competitions and outdoors of competitors durations. 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 a web-based module that makes use of RoboCup as a benchmark for educating robotics to undergraduate college students. The module continues 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 12 months, Maike Paetzel-Prüsmann, Merel Keijsers, and I (as lead authors), in collaboration with a number of trustees and lots of members from completely 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 most effective of my data, the primary to contain such a big and various group of contributors from throughout the RoboCup leagues. It discusses analysis inside RoboCup and the collaboration and synergies between the leagues.

Group photograph of the humanoid league groups at RoboCup 2025.

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

The 2050 aim of the RoboCup Federation, as many individuals are most likely conscious, is for a workforce of humanoid robots to play in opposition to the winners of the FIFA World Cup. To attain this, it’s essential to push additional in that path. One of many key adjustments, subsequently, will likely be a stronger concentrate on humanoid robots.

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

It’s essential to proceed fostering the engagement of groups within the leagues that will likely be affected by these adjustments. On the similar time, we should acknowledge that know-how is advancing quickly. Over the previous 12 months, particularly, we have now seen vital progress in each {hardware} platforms and huge language fashions. As RoboCup serves as a world benchmark for robotics analysis, we should always repeatedly attempt to advance know-how and analysis—whereas nonetheless having enjoyable.

Soccer is the advanced job and habits 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 workforce members, interactions with the coach, and communication with the referee. All of those features will finally must be included into the humanoid league.

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

I imagine we’ll see a mixture of completely different robots. With the three corporations presently sponsoring RoboCup, we have now already seen that their robots can obtain a variety of behaviors, and there have been vital 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 opportunity of a number of groups utilizing the identical platform. Nevertheless, we should understand that each {hardware} and software program can turn out to be out of date in a short time, so we have to stay open to a number of choices. A robotic that’s state-of-the-art at this time could now not be so in a 12 months or two. Consequently, committing to a single customary platform may restrict future progress.

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

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

One main change is that we have now added additional robots to every workforce. Beforehand, groups performed with simply two robots per facet, however matches at the moment are performed three versus three.

One other essential 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 workforce member needed to stroll behind the robots in case they fell and risked being broken.

I’ve really performed in a match in opposition to the profitable humanoid workforce. Naturally, the human workforce received, nevertheless it was an gratifying and really attention-grabbing sport, 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 adjustments? I assume it is determined by which league you’re in as to how a lot it impacts you.

Sure, it is determined by 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 all the time been ready for adjustments to the principles and the league constructions. Nevertheless, there are nonetheless some open questions, and groups are ready to see how issues will evolve. Tomorrow, there will likely be a gathering with the President and several other trustees to handle questions raised by the leagues.

The general path of RoboCup, guided by the 2050 aim has not modified. Every league has been extraordinarily worthwhile and has contributed in numerous methods towards attaining that aim. RoboCup has additionally been immensely worthwhile 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 functions.

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 challenge on the College of Hertfordshire (UK). Her analysis pursuits embrace Human–(Multi) Robotic Interplay, social robotics, belief, XAI, multi-agent programs and consumer 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 challenge ERROR (FA8655-23-1-7060), and a part of a number of nationwide and worldwide initiatives. Alessandra can also be trustee member of RoboCup Federation, and member of the Humanoid League workforce referred to as Daring Hearts. She is Chair of the IEEE P3108 “Research 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