Getting ready for kick-off at RoboCup2025: an interview with Normal Chair Marco Simões

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 quite a few 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 seek 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 shall 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 excellent 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.

Relating to the variety of groups, registration has not closed but, so we’re not sure in regards to the ultimate numbers. Nevertheless, we count on to have about 300-400 groups and round 3000 opponents. We now have been serving to with visas, so we hope to see increased 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 excellent yr for the RoboCup group: We now have simply agreed on new international league companions, together with the Chinese language corporations Unitree, Fourier, and Booster Robotics. They are going to carry their humanoids and four-legged robots to RoboCup. These is not going to solely be flaunted to the general public but additionally utilized by some groups. They’re superb robots with excellent abilities. So, I feel this shall be an incredible 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 big improve in our RoboCup group. Within the final two years, Brazil has had the fourth-largest variety of groups and individuals at RoboCup in Bordeaux (2023) and Eindhoven (2024). This was a really huge improve as a result of ten years in the past, we weren’t even within the prime eight or 9.

We’ve made a big 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 during the last ten years. This yr, now we have a large number of individuals due to the decrease journey prices. We expect to be within the prime three this yr when it comes to the very best variety of individuals.

Photograph of individuals at RoboCup 2024, which happened in Eindhoven. Photograph credit score: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke

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

Sure, now we have 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 primarily based on these two Leagues. We run it in regional competitions throughout Brazil – so 27 states. We arrange not less than one competitors in every state through the yr, and one of the best 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 college, 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 @Dwelling. We now have seen an enormous improve within the variety of groups within the @Dwelling League. Within the nationwide competitors in Brazil, now we have greater than 12 groups taking part. Again in 2014, we solely had one crew taking part. So we’ve had an excellent 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, during the last 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 right now, now we have an elevated variety of publications and groups taking part within the competitors with good outcomes, in order that’s essential.

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

Will you be collaborating within the competitors this yr, or will you be focusing completely in your position as Normal 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 bit of supervision from me as a result of I’ve been very engaged with the group.

In our 3D simulation crew, now we have a number of 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 could have a sturdy crew within the competitors as a result of we aren’t solely engaged on abilities, we’re additionally engaged on multi-agency methods. When each features are joined, you possibly can have a very good soccer crew that performs very effectively. We now have crew and count on to realize a larger 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 features but additionally have to work on abilities corresponding to strolling, kicking, and working. Groups are actually making an attempt to develop new abilities. For instance, lately, our crew has developed the dash working motion, which was a results of deep reinforcement studying. It’s not a pure working movement however a working motion that works based on the League’s guidelines. It makes the robots go very quick from one level to a different, making the crew very aggressive.

Most groups are studying abilities however don’t know find out how to exploit them strategically within the recreation. Our focus shouldn’t be solely on creating new abilities but additionally on utilizing them strategically. We’re at present engaged on a really progressive strategy.

This yr, the simulation league will run a problem utilizing a brand new simulator primarily based on MuJoCo. If the problem goes effectively, 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. Photograph: RoboCup/Bart van Overbeeke.

Lastly, is there anything you’d like to spotlight about RoboCup2025?

We’re engaged on partnerships with native corporations. For instance, now we have sponsorship from Petrobras, one of many greatest oil corporations on this planet. They are going to 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 essential to have these hyperlinks between business and the RoboCup group.

We even have wonderful assist from native corporations 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 illustration from the native drive displaying what they do to assist 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 now we have a wealthy historical past. There are a whole lot of historic websites to see and a few nice leisure choices, corresponding 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.