RoboCupJunior General Rules

RoboCupJunior 2025 General Rules

These rules apply to the international RoboCupJunior competition. However, regional, super-regional, and local tournaments may have variations or adaptations to these rules to suit their specific competition needs. It is important to check with the organizers of the tournaments you are participating in to confirm which exact rules will be in use.

If teams are unsure about any aspects of the General Rules or specific League Rules, they are encouraged to inquire via the official RoboCupJunior Forum for clarification: https://junior.forum.robocup.org/

  1. Team Size
    1. Minimum Team Size: Teams must consist of at least 2 members.
    2. Maximum Team Size:
      • Soccer and Rescue Leagues: 4 members.
      • OnStage League: 5 members.
    3. Shared Members and Robots: No team member(s) or robot(s) may be shared between teams.
  2. Team Members
    1. Age Requirements for RoboCupJunior International Tournaments:
      • Minimum age: 14 years old.
      • Maximum age: 19 years old.
      • Age is counted as of July 1st for the international event each year.
    2. Entry Leagues: RoboCupJunior Entry leagues and other “Primary” divisions (where minimum age may vary) are not run at the international competition but feature in many regions and SuperRegional tournaments.
    3. Technical Roles: Every team member must have a defined technical role (mechanical/design, electrical/sensing, software, etc.) and should be able to explain their role during technical judging.
  3. Robot Communication
    1. Permitted Communication: Communication between robots during gameplay is allowed as long as it uses the 2.4GHz spectrum and its power output does not exceed 100 mW EIRP under any circumstances.
    2. Responsibility: Teams are responsible for managing their robot communication. Spectrum availability is not guaranteed.
    3. Component Communication: Communication between components of the same robot is permitted under the general guidelines.
    4. League Adaptability: Each league may modify the robot communication rules to ensure they meet their specific requirements.
  4. Safety and Power Requirements
    1. Electrical Power:
      • Robots must not use mains electricity.
      • Maximum allowed voltage: 48V DC or 25V AC RMS.
      • Voltage must be easily measured during inspections, and measuring points must be covered for safety or designed with safety considerations in place.
    2. Battery Safety:
      • Lithium batteries must be stored in safety bags, and charging must be supervised by team members in competition areas.
      • Teams must follow safety protocols, including battery fire handling and evacuation procedures.
    3. Robot Safety Design:
      • Power Management: Secure batteries, safe wiring, and emergency stop functionality.
      • Mechanical Safety: No sharp edges, pinch points, or other hazards. Actuators must be appropriate for the robot’s size and function.
      • Hazardous Behavior: Teams must report potentially dangerous robot behaviors at least two weeks before the event.
  5. RCJ Team Posters
    1. Purpose: Posters are a tool for sharing robot designs and insights with judges, teams, and the public. Posters will be hung in public competition areas in the venue and digital copies or photographs will be shared by RCJ after the competition.
    2. Size: Posters must be no larger than A1 size (60 x 84 cm).
    3. Content: Posters should summarize design documents and present the robot’s capabilities in an engaging format.
  6. Technical Description Video (See League Documentation)
    1. Content:
      • Robotic Demonstration: Show fully functional robot systems to highlight technical aspects.
      • Design Process: Explain design choices and team problem-solving approaches.
      • Presentation: Clear and high-quality, explaining innovative or unusual techniques.
      • Innovation & Sustainability: Highlight new technologies and sustainable practices.
    2. Submission: Guidelines will specify video length and deadlines per league.
  7. Sharing Team Resources
    1. Sharing: Materials submitted by teams as part of the documentation submission will be shared on GitHub repositories for the leagues: https://github.com/robocup-junior
    2. Credit: Teams must credit creators of external work and adhere to licensing rules. The focus should remain on personal growth and learning.
  8. Plagiarism Guidelines
    1. External Code Use: Teams are allowed to use external code or libraries (e.g., OpenCV, machine learning frameworks) but must credit the original creators. However, personalized code contributions from others is not permitted without appropriate credit.
    2. Learning Priority: Teams should prioritize learning and not use complete solutions from others. Always pay attention to licensing rules.
    3. League Adaptability: Each league may modify the plagiarism rules to ensure they meet their specific requirements.
  9. Bill of Materials (BOM)
    1. Submission: Teams must submit a BOM listing major components and materials used.
    2. Details: The BOM must include:
      • Component name/description (e.g., part number).
      • Supplier/source of the component (including PCBs/machined components).
      • Status (new/reused).
      • Kit or custom-built.
      • Price.
    3. Template: A standardized BOM template will be provided with the league documentation submissions for the international competition.