Taking humanoid soccer to the following stage: 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 objective of the soccer competitors is that, by 2050, a group of totally autonomous humanoid robots will defeat the newest winner of the FIFA World Cup. To convey 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 study 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 points 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, once 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 group Daring Hearts, the longest constantly lively group within the UK. After a number of years, I turned the group 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 Govt 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 neighborhood, each throughout competitions and outdoors of competitors durations. I additionally work to encourage engagement between the most important 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 working. 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 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 data, 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 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 objective of the RoboCup Federation, as many individuals are most likely conscious, is for a group of humanoid robots to play in opposition to the winners of the FIFA World Cup. To realize this, it’s essential to push additional in that route. One of many key adjustments, subsequently, might be a stronger deal with humanoid robots.

One other main change would be the merger of the Customary Platform League (SPL) and the KidSize Humanoid League. This merged league may 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 objective itself stays unchanged, the trail towards reaching it’s going to should be adjusted.

It’s essential to proceed fostering the engagement of groups within the leagues that might be affected by these adjustments. On the similar time, we should acknowledge that expertise is advancing quickly. Over the previous 12 months, particularly, we now have seen vital progress in each {hardware} platforms and huge language fashions. As RoboCup serves as a worldwide benchmark for robotics analysis, we must always constantly attempt to advance expertise 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 embody responding to the referee’s whistle, verbal and non-verbal communication amongst group members, interactions with the coach, and communication with the referee. All of those points will in the end should 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 normal platform factor with groups utilizing a selected humanoid robotic?

I imagine we are going to see a mixture of totally different robots. With the three corporations at the moment sponsoring RoboCup, we now have 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 working.

Initially, there could also be the potential of a number of groups utilizing the identical platform. Nevertheless, we should take into account that each {hardware} and software program can develop 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 as we speak might not be so in a 12 months or two. Because of this, committing to a single commonplace platform might restrict future progress.

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

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

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

One other vital enchancment is the lowered presence of people on the sphere. There isn’t a longer a handler assigned to every robotic. Prior to now, a group 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 group. Naturally, the human group received, however it was an pleasant 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 overall response from the RoboCup neighborhood to the adjustments? I assume it relies on which league you’re in as to how a lot it impacts you.

Sure, it relies on which league you might be a part of. The reactions have been a mixture of pleasure and keenness. After all, everyone seems to be eager to see enhancements, and contributors have at all times been ready for adjustments to the foundations and the league buildings. Nevertheless, there are nonetheless some open questions, and groups are ready to see how issues will evolve. Tomorrow, there might be a gathering with the President and several other trustees to deal with questions raised by the leagues.

The general route of RoboCup, guided by the 2050 objective has not modified. Every league has been extraordinarily invaluable and has contributed in several methods towards reaching that objective. RoboCup has additionally been immensely invaluable 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 will 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 undertaking on the College of Hertfordshire (UK). Her analysis pursuits embody Human–(Multi) Robotic Interplay, social robotics, belief, XAI, multi-agent methods and person profiling. She is Mission 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 initiatives. Alessandra can also be trustee member of RoboCup Federation, and member of the Humanoid League group 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 she or he is on this system committee of a number of worldwide conferences on human–robotic interplay and synthetic intelligence.

tags: RoboCup