RoboCupThe 9th RoboCup International Competitions will be held in Osaka, Japan, from July 13th-19th. Part academic conference, part soccer round robin, and all nerd's paradise, RoboCup was created to give a boost to robotics and artificial intelligence. Since its debut in 1997, the tournament has attracted more and more attention and a larger number of participants. Also, more importantly, the rules have had to be updated as the technology of the robots has improved.
In the early years, for example, the small division robots played on a ping pong table-like surface; now they zip along a carpet at high speeds and can stop nearly on a dime.
Another example is the humanoid division. In years past, deep into the second half wry journalists would ask the contestants whether the match had started or not. No longer. In some divisions, the robots are fitted with sensors so that they can monitor the opposing players. Other robots use technology to detect the ball by its color (bright orange).
You can keep up-to-date with all the action on Soccerphile's Blog. Click on the images to see images of RoboCup 2005.
RoboCupThe tournament will be held at Intex Osaka, which is a short subway ride from downtown. Built on a manmade island overlooking Osaka Bay, Intex is one of the largest exhibition spaces in Japan.
Osaka is the number two city in Japan and the heart of the Kansai region. Click here for information on restaurants and bars in Osaka.
Some 400 teams from 35 countries will take part in the tournament that bills itself as an 'international and education initiative.' There are several categories of play: a simulation league, small-size robot league, middle-size robot league, four-legged robot league, a humanoid league, and more.
Simulation League
Two teams of 11 eleven virtual players play against each other. You can observe this on a huge television screen in Hall Four.
2005 Champion: Brainstormers 2D (University of Osnabrueck, Germany)
Small Size League
Perhaps the most thrilling of all of the divisions, the robots must fit inside a cylinder with a diameter of 180mm and a height of 150mm. Each team has five players. Players are equipped with devices to dribble and kick. The dimensions of the field are 4 x 5.5 meters, and an orange golf ball is used. There is no offsides. Humans cannot interfere during the play. The German side FU-Fighters was awesome on the opening day. Lovely passing and shots that made fans both wince and then break into applause.
2004 Champion: FU-Fighters (Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany)
2005 Champion: FU-Fighters (Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany)
RoboCupMiddle Size League
Two teams of 4 robots with sensors face each in match play. Objects are distinguished by colors. Communication among the robots takes place via wireless communications. The action is fairly slow.
Humans are not allowed to intervene except to put on or remove robots from the field.
2004 Champion: Eigen (Keio University, Japan)
2005 Champion: Eigen (Keio University, Japan)
RoboCupFour Legged League
Two teams of 4 four-legged robots (like Sony's AIBO robots) play soccer on a field. The 'dogs' have sensors and distinguish objects by color. Like the Middle Size League, communication among the robots takes place via wireless communications. They are amaziling agile and aggressive.
No external intervention by humans is allowed, except to put on or remove robots from the field.
2004 Champion: German Team (Germany)
2005 Champion: German Team (Germany)
RoboCupHumanoid League
Humanoid robots are capable of shooting and defending in goal. Once again: objects are distinguished by colors.
Human intervention is allowed. Cool to look at but not a lot of action.
2004 Champion: Team Osaka (Japan)
2005 Champion: Team Osaka (Japan)
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Host nations traditionally do well, and with Japan fielding a large percentage of the entrants Soccerphile will put its money on the home team to win at least one of the competitions. The teams to beat are Team Osaka and VisiON.
RoboCup| Year | Host City | Country |
| 1997 | Nagoya | Japan |
| 1998 | Paris | France |
| 1999 | Stockholm | Sweden |
| 2000 | Melbourne | Australia |
| 2001 | Seattle | USA |
| 2002 | Fukuoka + Busan | Japan + South Korea |
| 2003 | Padua | Italy |
| 2004 | Lisbon | Portugal |
| 2005 | Osaka | Japan |
| 2006 | Bremen | Germany |
Visit our Japan travel section for information on hotel and hostel accommodation in Japan, flights to Japan, travel in Japan.
© The RoboCup Federation