What is FIRA Robot Soccer / Robot Football?

FIRA Robot Soccer is a competition which features teams of 'Advanced Robot Technology' within a confined space. It offers a challenging arena to the young generation and researchers alike, working with 'Autonomous Mobile Robotic Systems'. FIRA’s flagship event, called the FIRA Robot World Cup (or the FIRA Cup in short) started in 1996, together with many other FIRA events to help raise the profile and generate interest in robotics to a younger audience. 

Through these events, FIRA aims to help them better understand and appreciate the scientific concepts and technological developments involved. FIRA believes that some of these events and interests can fuel scientific and engineering skills that ultimately develop into research outcomes to serve mankind in a variety of ways.

FIRA has held its competitions and events, namely the FIRA Cup in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Korea and India, attaining world-wide recognition as one of the leading robotic events! >>MORE

This years event, 2011 will be held in Taiwan with the 2012 event being held here in the UK in Bristol! 

What are the FIRA Cup Competition Categories?

Like soccer, robot-soccer has well-defined game rules. The FIRA Cup event is organised into several categories, including the Micro-Robot Soccer Tournament (MiroSot), the Simulated Robot Soccer Tournament (SimuroSot) and the Humanoid Robot Soccer Tournament (HuroSot). These games are played under the watchful eyes of a human referee and the participants who are the robot players’ managers and trainers.

In MiroSot, participants need to devise good strategies using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, and develop sharp sensing and precise real-time control for the physical robot-soccer players. These basic capabilities are needed for the robot-soccer players to cooperate and coordinate autonomously (i.e., with “human hands-off”), and are crucial to winning the game against an opponent team. 

As many who have witnessed a MiroSot game will testify, the excitement always runs high especially when two strong robot-soccer teams meet. During the match, the robot players autonomously tackle many unfamiliar situations that arise due to the different strategies, hardware and control software technologies employed in the opponent robot players. Like in a FIFA World Cup soccer match, no one knows for sure which team will win until the final whistle.

In SimuroSot, the game is played on a computer between two teams. With no physical robot involved, the game is decidedly one of complex strategy development using advanced AI techniques.

In HuroSot, a robot player is more human-like in that it has two legs, hence the term humanoid. Given the current state of the art, the participants are only expected to endow their humanoid robot with, for instance, the ability to walk steadily, avoid obstacles simulating stationary opponent players and take penalty shots, all under the remote guidance of its human trainer. 

Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO MiroSot Robot Soccer / Football System

Our 'Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO Football System' is recognised throughout the world as a leader in its field. Fully MiroSot FIRA Robot Soccer / Robot Football compliant, demand continues to soar year on year! 

Custom made to your requirements and budget, the system features the renowned Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO MiroSot Robot. Typically offered in 3 , 5, 7 or 11-a-side format the system can be used to demonstrate an autonomous 'robot soccer / robot football game' or be played interactively using joysticks to enthuse your audience or group of students. 

With a host of add-on extras and enough robots to illustrate different experiments, the system offers you complete flexibility. Since its initial launch, the MiabotPRO has become a hit worldwide and is used in research, education, manufacturing, service industries and beyond.

To find out how your academic institution can become involved and compete in the FIRA Cup using the Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO platform please contact us CLICK HERE

With 2012's event being held here in the UK in Bristol, there's no better time than now to start planning your team, budget and how you can be part of this fantastic event!

Why not take advantage of our exclusive 'special offer' and try out the Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO MiroSot Research Kit!

The Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO Research Kit retails at £799.00 and contains all the accessories and software needed to reseach and evaluate our MiabotPRO MiroSot Robot. This package will also allow you to try out our Merlin MiabotPRO before moving onto a 3, 5, 7 or 11-a-side Robot Soccer / Robot Football package. 

If you would like to take advantage of our exclusive 'special offer'...save money off the Merlin Robotics MiabotPRO MiroSot Research Kit...and find out more about how Merlin Robotics can meet your academic and research project requirements CLICK HERE