Tag Archives: Robocup

RoboCup 2026 Recap

Posted on by

Greetings from South Korea! RoboCup is already over by now, and the team can be very satisfied with its performance.

The group stage began with a match against TIGERs. Since a lot of new hardware was built in the hotel and the new radio system was being tested on a large scale for the first time, excitement was high. It was a very exciting game in which TIGERs couldn’t show their best side, as they struggled heavily with network issues. The vision and game controller packets are distributed across the field network via multicast to certain groups, but exactly these multicast groups were not being managed correctly. As a result, the TIGERs actually had a few moments of weakness, which we unfortunately couldn’t exploit, and the game ended 0-0.

The next day, things continued right in the morning against Ri-One. Against the 2024 Division B World Champions, we were able to prevail 2-0. The next opponent that day was RoboDragons. Unfortunately, the schedule was quite mixed up because some games took significantly longer than expected, which is why this match took place on a Division B field. Initially, we struggled a lot with problems regarding the calibrated field geometry. Some values were set incorrectly and confused our strategy. We were able to quickly communicate this to the referee and get it fixed, after which the game ran rather smoothly. We managed to secure a narrow 1-0 victory.

Thus, we emerged from the group in second place, tied on points with TIGERs, who only edged us out with a better goal difference. We started the knockout phase in the Upper Bracket; our first opponent was KIKS from Japan. We won decisively here as well with a 6-1 score. It was one of the few SSL games that didn’t end in a shutout. KIKS’s goal was well deserved, beautifully set up, and poorly defended by us at the crucial moment due to a tiny radio dropout on a key center back.

Moving further along in the Upper Bracket, our next opponent was RoboCîn. Notorious for their aggressive driving style, characterized by many hard collisions, we were already fearing for our robots. The match turned out to be a nail-biter. After regular time the score was 0-0, just as it was after extra time. So it went to a penalty shootout and remained tense. But after three saved shots and one goal for both teams, we were able to clinch the game 2-1 on the fifth penalty. [1]

Next, we played against TIGERs. By this time, the field setup had been switched from multicast to broadcast to permanently resolve the network issues. Both teams played very well; it was an incredibly fluid, exciting, and balanced game, where ER-Force also managed to get some shots on the Mannheim goal. Unfortunately, 2 of the Tigers’ shots made it through, so it ended 2-0. It was probably one of the most beautiful games of the tournament; overall, the match lasted only 30 minutes, which speaks volumes for both teams.

Final day. First against RoboCîn, then the winner against TIGERs in the Grand Final. After the beautiful 2-0 defeat, the team was already mentally picturing a scoring chance or two. But first up was Cîn. Like us, the Brazilians were not idle overnight and were able to change quite a bit about their driving style. Consequently, it was a much smoother game with fewer fouls. Unfortunately, they were able to take the lead through a shot that was incredibly bungled by our defense. Even though there were some chances, we couldn’t follow up and thus were eliminated from the tournament 0-1, finishing in third place.

In the final against TIGERs, they were then beaten 5-0. With this, TIGERs Mannheim has reached 1st place in the Hall of Fame with 6 World Championship titles!

However, we still see third place as a huge victory. The robots survived the entire tournament electronically and mechanically without any notable losses. The firmware and control systems have also reached a stable level. Together with the new radio system—which still has some minor teething troubles but offers a clear path forward—the current generation forms a solid foundation for next year!

With that, the big event of the year comes to an end once again. After a great Major Party and a well-deserved sleep-in, the team is now taking some vacation time in Korea and Japan before we catch our return flight.

Summary of the first days on RoboCup 2026 Incheon

Posted on by

It’s that time again, RoboCup is starting. This year, our club has made the long journey to Incheon – Korea. Fortunately, we had hardly any problems with the security and weight checks for our robot cases during the trip. So we arrived safely at Seoul airport and subsequently at our hotel in Incheon. As they do every year, our board members found a great hotel where we could work on the robots, divided into our subteams, right up until the first day at the venue. We often joke that the hotel staff who take care of our rooms must find the strangest things in there. After all, how often do you take a Dremel or a soldering station with you on a trip…

Yesterday, Tuesday, was the first day we were allowed into the event hall. However, the fields could not yet be used for testing, as the field lines still had to be painted on. The smell of the paint was terrible; fortunately, the fields were finished by Wednesday and the air is already better.

The first test slots on the fields as well as the referee training could therefore only take place today, Wednesday. We took the opportunity to already book and utilize several time slots on the field. Anyone who knows our club knows that every now and then, there are fires to put out in multiple places. The only important thing is that all fires are extinguished before the first game.

So, for today’s friendly match at 9:00 PM local time, motivated work is happening in various areas. Since we will be leaving the hall late in the evening due to the friendly match, the question arises as to what we can have for dinner. This year, unlike in previous years, there are not only banners in the hall pointing out various nearby restaurants, but even a supermarket and several restaurants within the event building itself.

Apart from today’s test match, we are looking forward to an eventful first match day tomorrow, with our first official game at 11:30 AM local time (4:30 AM in Germany). There will be a livestream again this year, but many of the games here take place in the morning, meaning they fall at rather inconvenient hours for German time. We naturally hope that more German spectators will tune in for the games scheduled at more favorable times.

Day 5 – Early Start, Lots of Stress, and Broken Encoders

Posted on by

After a good breakfast, we headed out a bit earlier than yesterday – since yesterday we arrived too late at the hall. This time we were on time, and the stress kicked in right away: charging batteries, calibrating robots, prepping covers, testing encoders… At 9 a.m. (local BRA time), we already had our first match against TIGERs.

Overall, the game went okay – especially the first half. Even though we were down 4:0 at that point, as our first match of the tournament, and against the TIGERs no less, it was a solid start. Particularly frustrating: in the last 45 seconds of the second half, we conceded three more goals. Ouch.

In the team meeting afterward, it quickly became clear: our encoders were causing trouble. Untested battery and encoder mounts had damaged some cables, which led to faulty data. Some voltage levels (3.3V) also dropped intermittently – another encoder issue. On top of that, we were getting frequent fouls during kickoffs.

 

1.Spiel: ER-Force vs TIGERsOur quick (and pretty much only) solution: we heavily reinforced the broken encoder cables with duct tape. That was all we could do, since we only brought a limited number of spare parts. The electronics crew is now trying to recycle broken encoders and build new ones from the parts.

 

The rest of the day was filled with fixing, testing, and more fixing – but it paid off. We made noticeable progress and even took on our first official roles in the group stage.

One highlight: We got to use HWTK’s gimbal and managed to shoot some pretty cool clips of daily team life. There might be a little video coming soon!

As always in the evening: everyone on the team shares what went well and what didn’t. After that, another team meeting to get everyone up to speed. We also put together a game plan for tomorrow – it’s going to be intense: three matches, two ref duties. Pure stress.

Oh, and the betting game is back on too! Let’s see who’s got the best gut feeling this year.

Day 3 – Progress with Obstacles

Posted on by

The day began, as so often, with a hearty breakfast – by now almost a fixed ritual that gives the day a bit of structure. Along with it came a bit of SIM card chaos: the search for the cards turned into a bit of an adventure, after a shop assistant from a small store sent us wandering through the alleyways of Salvador. With a strong sense of direction (and a bit of luck), we eventually found ourselves in the right place.

Then it was off to the venue for the first time – straight across Salvador. And here, a stark contrast revealed itself: while outside the usual Brazilian street life was in full swing, the venue felt almost like a different world.
Super modern, spacious, with stable internet – and most importantly: lots of room! A real upgrade for all teams.

On the technical side, things also moved forward nicely. The firmware managed to fully implement the return channel – a key feature for radio communication with the robots. Work on the FPGA continued as well – a chip in our new radio module that’s programmed on the hardware level and offers a lot of flexibility. The electronics were also put to use: cable issues were fixed, and – as always – some things were freshly soldered.

Then the highlight (or rather, the low point) of the day: the first official test slot on the field. Finally a chance to test our systems under competition conditions. Unfortunately, the first run ended in a collective crash test – several robots drove straight into the wall and had to be repaired afterward. The mood was accordingly tense.

In the mechanics department, things were buzzing: shot covers had to be re-cut, casings re-glued, and damaged parts replaced. A small-scale material battle – but that’s just how it goes. There seems to be an unwritten rule: no matter how well everything works back in Erlangen – once you’re on site, something always goes wrong.

Still: progress was made. The setup is in place, many construction sites are resolved, and the motivation is there. And sometimes, that’s enough to start the next day with a good feeling.

Team ER-Force!

Day 2 – All About the Tech

Posted on by

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.