All teams must use robots of the following types:
• Sony AIBO ERS-210 (black (i. e. dark gray) or white)
• Sony AIBO ERS-210A (black (i. e. dark gray) or white)
• Sony AIBO ERS-7 (white)
The ERS-7 is recommended as it has a faster processor, a higher camera resolution, and it is the
only model currently being sold that is permitted in RoboCup.
Each team consists of no more than 4 robots including the goal keeper.
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A game consists of three parts, i. e. the first half, a half-time break, and the second half. Each half is 10 minutes. The clock stops during stoppages of play1 (such as kick-offs after goals). The extra time over 10 minutes total is referred to as ˇ§lost timeˇ¨. The half-time break is also 10 minutes. If the game is a draw, there will be 5 minutes of extra time in which the team wins that scores first (golden goal). There is no break between the second half and the extra time. If no team scored the golden goal, a penalty kick shoot-out1 employing sudden death (see Section 3.8) is started after a 5 minutes break.
The teams will change the goal defended and color of the team markers during the half-time break.
Robots can be in six different states (cf. Figure 6). If the wireless is available, these states will be set by the GameController. However, as the availability of the wireless cannot be guaranteed, it must also be possible to switch between the states manually. As the assistant referees handle the robots, the button interface must be the same for all teams. However, it cannot be the same for all robot types, because the ERS-2102 and the ERS-7 differ in the number of the buttons they have and the sensitivity of these buttons. For most switching between states, the back switch is used on the ERS-210 while the head switch is used on the ERS-7. The only exception is switching from the playing state into the penalized state, which is done with the back switch(es) for both robots, because it would be too complicated to continuously press the switch on a moving head for
a longer period of time.
Initial. After booting, the robots are in their initial state. In this state, the button interface for
manually setting the team color and whether the team has kick-off is active. The robots are
not allowed moving in any fashion besides initially standing up.
ERS-210. The front part of the head switch toggles between the own kick-off and the
opponent kick-off, while the top LED displays the current selection (on: own kick-off).
The back head switch toggles between the red and blue team color. The team color
is displayed by the LED in the robotˇ¦s tail during the whole game (orange for the red
team, blue for the blue team).
ERS-7. The middle back switch toggles between the own kick-off and the opponent kickoff,
while the orange LED around this switch displays the current selection (on: own
kick-off). To select the blue team color, press the front back switch, to select the red
team color, press the rear back switch. The team color is displayed by the LEDs surrounding
these switches, i. e. the red LED is on when the red team color is selected and
the blue LED is switched on when the robot is part of the blue team.
Pressing the back switch of an ERS-210 or the head switch of an ERS-7 will switch it to the
ready state.
Ready. In this state, the robots walk to their legal kick-off positions (cf. Section 3.5). They remain
in this state, until all the robots have reached legal positions and have stopped, or until the
head referee decides that there is no significant progress anymore. By pressing the back
switch of an ERS-210 or the head switch of an ERS-7, it will be switched into the set state.
Set. In this state, the robots stop and wait for kick-off (cf. Section 3.5). If they are not at legal
positions, they will be placed manually by the assistant referees to the positions shown in
Figure 4. They are allowed to move their heads and tails before the game (re)starts but are
not allowed moving their legs or locomote in any fashion.
Pressing the back switch of an ERS-210 or the head switch of an ERS-7 will bring them into
the playing state, e. g. for kick-off.
Playing. In the playing state, the robots are playing soccer. When at least one of the back switches
is pressed for more than one second, the robot is switched into the penalized state. Please
note that this will happen automatically in most cases when an ERS-7 is picked up.
Penalized. A robot is in this state when it has been penalized. It is not allowed moving in any
fashion, i. e. also the head has to stop turning. From this state, the robot can be reset to the
initial state by pressing the back switch (ERS-210) or the head switch (ERS-7) for more than
three seconds. If these switches are pressed shorter than that, the robot is returned into the
playing state.
Finished. This state is reached when a half is finished. There is no possibility to reach this state
when wireless is not working.
Without the wireless, the procedure after a goal has been scored is a little bit complex. The robots
have first to be switched into the penalized state, from which it is possible to return to the initial
state. From there, everything is the same as before the first kick-off.
The team color should be displayed during the whole game. The selection whether the robotˇ¦s
team has kick-off should be visible in the states initial, ready and set. Both selections should also
be visualized if the wireless is working.
A goal is achieved when the entire ball (not only the center of the ball) goes over the field-side
edge of the goal line, i. e. the ball is completely inside the goal area. The goal line is part of the goal area.
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