Day 2 – All About the Tech

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Today was all about the technical side. Each subteam was fully focused and working across all fronts.

The mechanics team had their hands full: to avoid any conflicts with the new batteries, the shot covers were quickly reshaped – creative, functional, and efficient.

The electronics team was also deep in hands-on work. A major redesign was tackled: the modular setup was reworked so that connectors can now only be plugged in correctly – unless someone really tries to force it wrong. In addition, broken light barriers were repaired, bringing back some much-needed reliability.

Firmware made the most of the day by focusing on two big topics: work on the FPGA (a chip in our new Funkmaster module that needs to be programmed on the hardware level) and intense tinkering with Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) – a system that actively counters disturbances or prevents them from happening in the first place. The central question of the day: how can we identify potential sources of error early and eliminate them reliably? Not flashy – but exactly the kind of detail that makes a difference.

The strategy team worked on fixing bugs from past test games and continued refining

the tactical routines. At the same time, one topic kept coming back: wireless communication. Already a problem child during RoboCup in Bordeaux, the connection between robots and control remains a hot topic – and a critical one.

In the late morning, the whole team gathered at the hotel pool for a meeting. A relaxed setting for a focused debrief: reflecting on our recent workshop and what insights we

want to carry forward into the competition days ahead.

The day wrapped up with what should’ve been a simple dinner order – but turned into a bit of an adventure. CPF numbers (which are required for many things in Brazil), missing phone numbers, and the ever-present language barrier created quite a bit of chaos – but also plenty of laughs. After a long wait, the food finally arrived. Verdict: delicious, a bit chaotic, but definitely a moment we’ll all remember.

 

Day 1 – Hitting the Ground Running (and Swimming)

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The first full day on site kicked off with a mix of sun, sea, and serious setup work. After breakfast, we headed straight to the beach – no hesitation, straight into the water. It was the perfect way to shake off the long journey and enjoy a moment of freedom before the intensity of RoboCup truly begins.

Back at the hotel, the whole team gathered in the lobby to plan the day, unpack equipment, and organize tasks. Everyone split into their respective areas – mechanics, electronics, software, firmware and publicity – ready to dive in.

Meanwhile, part of the team ventured out to a local supermarket to stock up on supplies. It turned out to be more of a mission than expected: the language barrier made even simple things challenging. But with creativity and teamwork, we pulled it off.

After a quick bite to eat, the real work began.
The software team got everything tournament-ready – testing, tweaking, and fixing the final bugs. On the firmware side, there were still some battles with the wireless communication.
Electronics involved some re-soldering on the robots, and mechanically we added damping to the battery holders to prevent damage during rapid acceleration or sudden stops.

We also took the time to go through the scientific papers of the other teams qualified for RoboCup – gaining insight, inspiration, and valuable context for the competition.

The work carried on late into the night. It wasn’t always smooth, but the team powered through with determination and focus. We’re now fully arrived – with robots, team spirit, and a good dose of ambition in our luggage. Let’s get this RoboCup started!

Traveling to Brazil

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The long wait is finally over. RoboCup 2025 is just around the corner – and, as always, the journey there is rarely easy, but always exciting! While most people in Erlangen were still wrestling with the final preparations for RoboCup, Tobi was already on his way to beautiful Brazil to help with setup on site. The calm before the storm, you could say.

 

Part of our team met on Saturday, July 12, 2025, in the early morning hours at Nuremberg Central Station. With tired eyes but full of anticipation, we headed towards Munich Airport via the ever-popular Deutsche Bahn. There, as planned, we met up with the rest of the group at 8 a.m. After check-in, we proceeded to the security check – which, surprisingly, went almost smoothly. Thanks to good preparation and our team’s persuasive skills (supported by a trailer about us, which will be online soon!), we were well-equipped. Our main stars – the robots – passed through security without any issues.

 

The first flight was a rough one: turbulence, a hard landing, and a fully
 booked plane – typical Lisbon.
Stopover in Lisbon

Stopover in Lisbon

But the best moment was a funny coincidence: we ran into our colleagues from the SPL team up north – the Hulks! Now we were on the same flight and had a really pleasant exchange. That’s RoboCup for you – it brings people together. After a short stay in Lisbon – including one or two much-needed coffees – we continued our journey. Well, not quite immediately. We had to put up with a one-hour delay before we were finally able to board the plane to beautiful Salvador. A little after 11 p.m. local time, we finally heard: Bem-vindo ao Brasil! One last suitcase took its time, but eventually we boarded our team bus – a.k.a. the airport shuttle – and headed to the hotel.

School Visit – Willstätter-Gymnasium in Nuremberg

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On Friday, May 9th, 2025, we – Robotics Erlangen – had the pleasure of visiting the Willstätter-Gymnasium in Nuremberg. Starting at 2 p.m., we had the fantastic opportunity to engage with students from all grade levels as part of the school’s Forschungs-AG (Research Club) – including a dedicated Robotics group of 5th graders who are just beginning their journey into technology and programming.

With us: two of our autonomous soccer robots, which we regularly use in national and international competitions. The students’ excitement was immediate – many were fascinated by how our robots can “understand” the field, orient themselves, detect the ball, and aim for the goal – all without any remote control.

In addition to presenting our work and giving insights into robotics at the Faculty of Engineering at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, students were especially curious about the technical details:
How do robots “think”? What’s behind camera-based object recognition? How are movements planned? And how do the robots communicate with one another?

At the same time, we were truly impressed by the students’ own projects within the Research Club. One highlight was a sustainable garden irrigation system, designed to be both ecologically and energy efficient. Automated, power-saving, and environmentally conscious – exactly the kind of innovation we need for the future!

We’d like to sincerely thank the Willstätter-Gymnasium for the invitation and the inspiring exchange. It was wonderful to see so much curiosity and creativity among the next generation of young researchers. We’re looking forward to seeing some familiar faces again – perhaps soon at FAU!

Schubert Open 2025: Game 3 vs Immortals

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ER-Force vs. Immortals – The First Game of the Day

The game begins with the kickoff for the Immortals. The first few minutes are marked by hectic scenes. There were several ball exchanges, but many went out of bounds, making the game seem a bit rough at first. After some attempts to stabilize on the field, some tape had to be repaired in certain areas due to damage on the ground.

2′: The Immortals start a promising attack, but it ends in a high shot that goes far over the goal. The game slows down a bit as the ball keeps going out of bounds. It seems both teams are struggling to find their rhythm. The Immortals take a short timeout to reorganize.

3′: An exciting situation follows as a goal is scored for ER-Force – but a mistake was made earlier. An extra robot was on the field due to a yellow card, so the goal is disallowed. Meanwhile, the field is repaired again. The game remains thrilling as ER-Force stays on the offensive. There is a corner kick for ER-Force, but it fails due to incorrect ball placement. Additionally, the Immortals receive a red card for a violation related to ball placement.

4′: ER-Force continues attacking and takes control of the field. After an intense duel and a dangerous situation, ER-Force scores the first goal of the game! But the Immortals remain a threat and launch another attack. One of their robots falls to the ground during the duel.

5′: The game picks up speed. Both teams engage in an exciting and fluid duel. The Immortals create some dangerous attacks, but ER-Force defends skillfully and blocks all attempts. At halftime, it looks like the second half will be just as intense.

Halftime:
The game goes into the break with a narrow 1-0 lead for ER-Force.

6′: The kickoff resumes, this time for the Immortals. The match remains intense. ER-Force substitutes a robot and stays in defense.

7′: The Immortals try to push forward, but the ball goes out of bounds again. After another robot substitution for ER-Force, the game stays exciting. ER-Force’s defense holds firm, preventing any dangerous attacks from the Immortals.

8′: Another tense moment for ER-Force as one of their robots temporarily loses connection. However, the defense remains solid, and the Immortals are awarded a penalty kick – possibly due to a positioning error or another rule violation.

9′: Another thrilling duel, this time in ER-Force’s offensive play. The Immortals’ defense is challenged again, but ER-Force stays focused and doesn’t allow any further chances.

10′: The game becomes more fluid and remains highly exciting. Both teams continue to battle intensely, but ER-Force holds the upper hand and manages to secure a narrow 1-0 victory.

Final score: 1-0 for ER-Force
An exciting and hard-fought match, with ER-Force ultimately emerging victorious!