RoboCup-nao

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October 2025

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Newsletter #1 - New RoboCup Soccer League
by Caron, Benjamin 06 Oct '25

06 Oct '25

Introducing the New RoboCup Soccer League (Official name to be announced) RoboCup 2026 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in humanoid robot soccer. The Standard Platform League (SPL) and the Humanoid League (HL) are merging into a single unified league. This brings together years of expertise, innovation, and competition under one framework. Why merge? * Shared goals: Both leagues focus on humanoid soccer, but from different angles. * Unified platform: A single set of design and gameplay rules will allow for a more direct comparison of approaches. * Future growth: A larger, more diverse league will drive faster progress in humanoid robotics. Minimum Robot Rules The Technical Committees (TC) of both the former SPL and HL are currently working on the detailed rules for the new league. For now, here are some important updates: 1. Robot eligibility for RoboCup 2026 * Both commercially available and self-built robots will be allowed, as well as mixtures * All robots that competed at RoboCup 2025 in either the SPL or HL will be eligible. * All robots listed on robotprogram.robocup.org<https://robotprogram.robocup.org/> are also accepted. 2. Minimum requirement for all competing robots * Robots participating in the league must have a human-like body shape with a torso, head, two arms, and two legs, as well as human-like symmetry and proportions regarding sizes of the body parts and weight distribution (Definition of humanoid robot from Kajima et al, 2005). * Locomotion: Robots must walk bipedally, run, or jump. They must stand upright on their feet and recover from falls. * Body Mass Index (BMI): 5 ≤ BMI ≤ 30. * Leg length: Must follow human-like proportions: 0.35 · Htop ≤ Hleg ≤ 0.7 · Htop (Htop = total robot height). * Arm span: Inspired by da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man for human-like proportions: 0.8 · Htop ≤ Aspan ≤ 1.2 · Htop. * Arm functionality: Arm length and placement must support human-like behaviors (e.g., standing up after a fall, picking up or throwing a ball). * Not allowed: non-human-like support (e.g., using arms to assist walking). * Arms must not reach below the knees when standing upright. * Head height: Must follow proportional constraints: 0.1 · Htop ≤ Hhead ≤ 0.3 · Htop. * Sensor * Allowed sensors Robots may include any of the following: * Vision: RGB camera (opening angle < 180°), stereo camera, event camera * Audio: Microphone array * Inertial: Gyroscope, accelerometer, IMU (without compass) * Force and touch: Force sensors, touch sensors, buttons/bumpers, other haptic sensors * Intrinsic: Temperature, current, joint positions, and other internal measurements * Not allowed sensors The following are prohibited to ensure equal conditions for all robots: * Omnidirectional (360°) camera * Independent compass * LIDAR (2D/3D) * Ultra-Wideband (UWB) distance measurement * Bluetooth-based localization * Unmentioned sensors are still subject to evaluation 1. Eligible standard robot platforms (non-exhaustive): * Nao V5, Nao V6 * Darwin (model) * Booster T1, K1 * Fourier GR1, GR1-Pro, GR2 * Unitree G1, H1 Envisioned Timeline The TC will share more details in the coming months on: * Divisions - mid October * More information on mechanical and electrical components - mid October * Game rules - early November * Safety - mid November RoboCup 2026 participation survey The Technical Committee would like to gather information on teams’ intentions to participate in the new Soccer League. Please fill out the following form here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GHyBmgWAwPkWkOcLqCsbFu5WN578o2ckU8ihO4k0sn…>. Stay tuned for updates as we build this exciting new chapter in RoboCup soccer! The Technical Committee of the new RoboCup Soccer League

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RoboCup: Participate in Our League Name Survey!
by Sam Griffiths 05 Oct '25

05 Oct '25

Dear RoboCup Teams, We hope this message finds you well. As we prepare for an exciting change in 2026, RoboCup is merging the Standard Platform League (SPL) and the Humanoid League (HL) into a unified league. About the New League; To help inform your choice of league name, here are the key characteristics of the merged league: * The league will focus on the game of soccer * It will be for humanoid-like robots only * This will be RoboCup's single Major League for humanoid robots playing soccer (consolidating what were previously two separate Major Leagues) * The league may include multiple divisions to group robots by weight, size, and abilities, ensuring fair and competitive matches across different robot capabilities To ensure this new league reflects the spirit and vision of our community, we are inviting you to participate in our RoboCup League Name Survey. Your team's input on potential names for this merged league will help guide the Trustees' decision-making process. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and share your valuable insights. Teams are encouraged to submit one response per team, however, multiple responses are allowed. Survey Link<https://forms.gle/u6Ei4FfGMZgUxqb67> Plain text: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8bTIpMEPeflgX65ysjusxUKwSANrWmJD… Thank you for your participation and support. Sam Griffiths, On Behalf of the 2026 SPL+HL Technical Committee

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