Making ready for kick-off at RoboCup2025: an interview with Basic Chair Marco Simões

The Salvador Conference Heart, the place RoboCup 2025 will happen.

RoboCup is a global scientific initiative with the purpose 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 quite a lot of leagues, will this yr happen in Brazil, from 15-21 July. We spoke to Marco Simões, one of many Basic 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 probably 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 an awesome success. This yr, we count on 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 individuals.

Concerning the variety of groups, registration has not closed but, so we’re not sure in regards to the closing numbers. Nevertheless, we count on to have about 300-400 groups and round 3000 opponents. We have now 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 individuals can come and have enjoyable at RoboCup!

That is additionally an awesome yr for the RoboCup neighborhood: We have now simply agreed on new world league companions, together with the Chinese language corporations Unitree, Fourier, and Booster Robotics. They’ll deliver their humanoids and four-legged robots to RoboCup. These won’t solely be flaunted to the general public but in addition utilized by some groups. They’re superb robots with excellent expertise. So, I feel this will probably be an incredible version of RoboCup this yr.

Did the 2014 occasion in Brazil encourage extra groups to take part in RoboCup?

Sure, we have now seen a major improve in our RoboCup neighborhood. 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 large improve as a result of ten years in the past, we weren’t even within the prime 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 rising yr by yr over the past ten years. This yr, we have now a large number of members due to the decrease journey prices. We predict to be within the prime three this yr by way of the very best variety of members.

Picture of members at RoboCup 2024, which came about in Eindhoven. Picture credit score: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke

It’s spectacular that so many RoboCupJunior members go on to affix a Main League workforce.

Sure, we have now an initiative right here in Brazil referred to as the Brazilian Robotics Olympiad. On this occasion, we selected two Junior Leagues – OnStage and the Rescue Line League – and we organized a contest based mostly on these two Leagues. We run it in regional competitions throughout Brazil – so 27 states. We arrange a minimum of one competitors in every state in the course of the yr, and the perfect groups from every state come to the nationwide competitors along with the Main Leagues. We arrange 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, a lot 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 neighborhood in recent times?

Two or three years in the past, one of many Brazilian groups was the champion of RoboCup @Dwelling. We have now seen an enormous improve within the variety of groups within the @Dwelling League. Within the nationwide competitors in Brazil, we have now greater than 12 groups taking part. Again in 2014, we solely had one workforce taking part. So we’ve had an awesome improve—this League is likely one of the highlights in Brazil.

Extra groups are additionally taking part 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 prime 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, we have now an elevated variety of publications and groups taking part within the competitors with good outcomes, in order that’s essential.

One other glorious 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 may 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 neighborhood proposed it.

RoboCup @Dwelling with Toyota HSR robots within the Home Customary Platform League, RoboCup 2024. Picture: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke.

Will you be participating within the competitors this yr, or will you be focusing completely in your position as Basic Chair?

This yr, my laboratory (ACSO/Uneb) has certified for the 3d Simulation League (soccer), the Flying Robotic Demo, and RoboCup @Dwelling, so we’re taking part 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 workforce, we have now numerous developments with deep reinforcement studying and a few new novel methods that enable our groups to realize new expertise, and we’re combining the brand new expertise with our former multi-agent coordination technique. Because of this, I feel we may have a strong workforce within the competitors as a result of we’re not solely engaged on expertise, we’re additionally engaged on multi-agency methods. When each facets are joined, you’ll be able to have a very good soccer workforce that performs very properly. We have now a superb workforce and count on to attain a better place this yr. Within the latter years, we have been within the prime 4 or 5, however we hope to get into the highest three this yr.

In 3D, you not solely work on multi-agent facets but in addition must work on expertise reminiscent of strolling, kicking, and working. Groups at the moment are attempting to develop new expertise. For instance, in recent times, our workforce has developed the dash working motion, which was a results of deep reinforcement studying. It isn’t a pure working movement however a working motion that works in keeping with the League’s guidelines. It makes the robots go very quick from one level to a different, making the workforce very aggressive.

Most groups are studying expertise however don’t know tips on how to exploit them strategically within the recreation. Our focus will not be solely on creating new expertise but in addition on utilizing them strategically. We’re at present engaged on a really progressive method.

This yr, the simulation league will run a problem utilizing a brand new simulator based mostly on MuJoCo. If the problem goes properly, we might transfer to this new simulator within the following years, which may 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 the rest you’d like to focus on about RoboCup2025?

We’re engaged on partnerships with native corporations. For instance, we have now sponsorship from Petrobras, one of many largest oil corporations on the earth. They’ll focus on how they’re utilizing robotics and AI of their business. They have been additionally one of many first sponsors of the Flying Robots League. It’s vital to have these hyperlinks between business and the RoboCup neighborhood.

We even have glorious help from native corporations and the federal government. They are going to be displaying the neighborhood their newest developments. Within the Rescue League, for instance, we’ll have an indication from the native drive displaying what they do to help individuals 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 we have now a wealthy historical past. There are a number of historic websites to see and a few nice leisure choices, reminiscent of seashores or events. Folks 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 Basic Chair of RoboCup2025, and President of RoboCup Brazil.