Moving robotics competitions virtual: The case study of RoboCupJunior Soccer Simulation (SoccerSim)

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
• Educational Technology
• Competitive Robotics

Background:

• The RoboCupJunior Soccer competition challenges high school students to build and program autonomous soccer robots.
• The COVID-19 pandemic restricted physical gatherings, hindering traditional hands-on robotics competitions.
• Existing simulation environments were often too complex for high school students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an accessible simulated environment for RoboCupJunior Soccer.
• To enable continued participation in robotics competitions despite pandemic-related restrictions.
• To provide an affordable and stable platform for high school robotics education.

Main Methods:

• Development of SoccerSim, a simulated environment based on the Webots open-source robotics simulator.
• Involving student participation in the development process.
• Utilizing SoccerSim for a Demo competition and RoboCupJunior Worldwide 2021.

Main Results:

• SoccerSim successfully supported over 60 teams from 20+ countries in RoboCupJunior Worldwide 2021.
• The simulation provided a stable and affordable alternative to physical robotics platforms.
• SoccerSim significantly lowered the barrier to entry, attracting new participants.

Conclusions:

• SoccerSim effectively enabled participation in RoboCupJunior Soccer during the pandemic.
• The open-source simulation environment democratizes access to competitive robotics for high school students.
• The project's success highlights the potential of accessible simulation tools for STEM education.