RoboCupJunior OnStage Entry Rules 2024

The team size and age requirements will be specified by the local organizers.

Each team member needs to carry a role within the team. Each participant can join only one team. No members can, be shared between teams and/or leagues.

Please note that age and team size restrictions will apply to international competitions for the main OnStage competition.

The format of the competition will be announced before or during the team briefing. A standard competition consists of two performances.

The duration of the performance routine must be no less than 1:00 minute.

Each team has a total of seven minutes on the stage. This time includes stage set-up, introduction, performance routine and the time for clearing the stage.

If the time limit is exceeded due to circumstances outside the team’s control (for example problems with starting the music) there will be no penalty. The judges have the final say on any time penalties.

Teams wait on the side of the stage before being welcomed on stage.

Teams are strongly encouraged to use the time while they are setting up on the stage to introduce to the audience the performance and the features of their robots.

Teams can restart their routine if necessary. Penalty marks will be deducted from the score.

The team must leave the stage after their time on stage has expired.

Te restart must be clearly signaled verbally by a team member on stage.

Teams may use music or video to complement their performance.

If a team uses copyrighted music, they should follow the Copyright Law of the region where the event is held.

Teams are encouraged to provide a video or slideshow as part of their performance.

The size of the performance stage area is a rectangular area of 5 x 4 meters (m) for robots with the 5 meter side facing the judges.

The floor provided shall be made of a flat (non-glossy) white surface, for example, painted MDF (compressed wood fiber). While floor joints will be made to be as smooth as possible, robots must be prepared for irregularities of up to 5 mm in the floor surface. Whilst every effort will be made to make the stage flat, this may not be possible, and teams should be prepared to cope with this uncertainty.

Robots must perform autonomously.

Teams should construct their own robot rather than using the instructions that come with a commercial kit.

Teams are encouraged to design costumes for their robot. If a team wants to use a famous character as their robot, the team should pay attention to the copyright of the character.

Robots are encouraged to communicate with each other during the performance. Suggested and allowed communication protocols are infrared (IR), Bluetooth (LE and classic), ZigBee, RFID or other localization platforms.

There must be no communication between off-stage and on-stage devices.

Props are encouraged and can be used to add value to the performance.

Robots can sense static props to perform a certain task or trigger an action.

Robots may be started manually at the beginning of the performance.

During the performance, remote control of a robot is prohibited.

Interaction between robots and/or humans may be used to dynamically alter the robot’s behavior. Robots that interact with their environment and respond accordingly will be highly rewarded.

Human team members may perform with their robots on the stage during the performance. They should make sure not to hide important components of their robot performance from the judges/audience.

Humans may use the stage area to illustrate the robots movements through acting.

It is the responsibility of the team to ensure that the music and video/presentation is playing correctly before their first performance by liaising with the RoboCupJunior OnStage officials.

Performances should not include violent, military, threatening, or criminal elements. This includes inappropriate or offensive words (including music) and/or images.

Under no circumstances can mains electricity be used during the performance. Every robot should be equipped with some sort of battery power, with a maximum of 15 volts.

Lithium batteries must be transported or moved in safety bags.

Participants should design their robot(s) to be a size that they can easily carry by themselves. Robots should be of a weight that team members can carry and lift onto the stage with ease.

To protect participants and comply with occupational health and safety regulations, routines may not include anything that could be considered a projectile, explosions, smoke, or flame, use of water, or any other hazardous substances (contact the committee through the forum when in doubt).

All teams will have up to 15 minutes of technical interview judging during the competition. Which will take place as an in-person meeting with the judges in a separate room at the venue.

Teams should have all robots present at the interview.

Teams should bring their programm code.

If the judges consider it necessary, teams may be asked to complete a second interview.

The Technical Interviews take place in the main language of the event. If teams require a translator, they should inform the RoboCupJunior OnStage officials prior to the event to allow translators to be organized.

Extra time will not be given for teams with a translator.

The duration of the demonstration should be approximately 5 minutes.

Each team has a total of seven minutes on the stage. This time includes stage set-up, the demonstration, and the time for packing up and clearing the stage. The timer only stops when the entire stage is clear with no remnants from the previous demonstration.

After the seven minutes have expired the team will be asked to clear the stage and judging will be stopped.

The technical capabilities of their robots should be demonstrated by both describing what has been developed and demonstrating this capability. This could cover any aspect of the performance or technical capabilities of the robot(s), such as interaction with humans, interactions with other robots or the use of a particular sensor.

Teams are encouraged to remove robots’ costumes for showing detailed design.

The judging criteria and allocation of marks are given in the respective score sheets.

Teams must read the Score Sheets to make sure they create their materials according to the judging criteria.

The total score of each team is calculated by combining the scores from the team’s Interview, Poster , Open Technical Demonstartion and the Performance.

If more than one performance is scheduled, the highest of all performance scores will be used.

All aspects will be judged by a panel of at least three officials. At least one of these judges is a RoboCupJunior official who has judged the Technical interview and documentation as well.

If any rule clarification is needed, please contact the International RoboCupJunior OnStage League Committee, using the Junior Forum (https://junior.forum.robocup.org). Once the inquiry is posted on this forum, OnStage League Committee members will respond as soon as possible.