► Why Is RoboCup the "World Cup" of the Robotics Industry

RoboCup is a premier competition in the robotics field. Founded in 1996, this international organization hosted its inaugural event in 1997. It is committed to driving continuous breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and intelligent robotics technology through complex scenarios such as robot soccer matches. Its vision is to develop a fully autonomous robot soccer team capable of defeating the human FIFA World Cup champions by the year 2050.

Widely recognized as the ultimate technology litmus test in the global robotics industry, RoboCup attracts top universities and research teams worldwide to participate on an ongoing basis. As the core component of the competition system, RoboCupSoccer-Humanoid imposes extremely high requirements on robots’ multi-dimensional capabilities, including perception, decision-making, and motion control.

Recently, High Torque Robotics has officially been approved by the RoboCup International Board and qualified as a RoboCup League Partner. This globally prestigious accreditation carries stringent qualification thresholds and signifies the official competition system’s high recognition of the platform in terms of stability, openness, and technological maturity.

► Robust Strength: Why the Mini Pi Plus Stands Out

It is no easy feat to be admitted as a RoboCup League Partner. Selected platforms must pass multi-dimensional evaluations covering hardware performance, software openness and standard compatibility, and possess the capability to support high-level competitions. Meeting these stringent criteria, the Mini Pi Plus from High Torque Robotics stands out as a dedicated humanoid robot development platform tailored for tournaments, scientific research and educational scenarios.

1）Competition-Grade Hardware Platform: High Performance × Lightweight Design × Strong Anti-Collision Capability

The Mini Pi Plus is tailor-made for high-intensity confrontations in RoboCup. Equipped with 22 degrees of freedom throughout the body to meet competition standards, it supports complex tactical movements such as running, dribbling and blocking. Its lightweight structure of 65 cm in height and 13 kg in weight balances agility and stability, while self-developed high-performance joints deliver powerful propulsion and precise force control.

Equipped with ZED Mini/RealSense cameras and the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX main controller, it delivers efficient perception and powerful computing support. Internal cabling is neatly arranged with no exposed wires for enhanced safety and reliability. The large-capacity quick-release battery supports one hour of continuous operation at a running speed of 0.5 m/s, meeting the demands of all-day uninterrupted competition use.

2）Full-Stack Open Architecture: Standard Framework × Quick Deployment × Lower Development Barriers

Centered on the robocup_workspace core framework, it unifies the development environment and interfaces to deliver plug-and-play readiness. It integrates full-stack capabilities including motion control, visual perception, behavioral decision-making and communication coordination, and supports simulation platforms such as Isaac Lab and MuJoCo, enabling a complete Sim2Real workflow from simulated training to physical robot deployment.

Multi-layer APIs for control, status monitoring, communication and other functions are fully open to meet the demands of in-depth secondary development. Supported by comprehensive documentation covering environment setup, algorithm development and system deployment, the integrated open architecture of hardware and software greatly lowers the barriers for competition participation and technical development.

In the field of software support for robotics competitions, a common misconception is that open-sourcing the code equals complete technical support. The real challenge lies in whether new teams can finish system configuration and get the robot up and running in the shortest possible time.

Based on this core issue, starting from developers' actual usage workflows, High Torque Robotics has built a robot development platform tailored for soccer competitions, which systematically integrates software capabilities, engineering experience and teaching systems.

1.Full-stack technical support: Build a complete knowledge system covering key procedures including environment configuration, SDK deployment, vision systems, behavior decision-making, and motion control.

2.One-click deployment capability: The platform provides downloadable full deployment resources, including the motion control SDK and system initialization configurations.

3.Accumulated engineering experience: To address the common experience gap among participating teams, we systematically organize debugging workflows, core parameter logic, and on-site competition SOPs.

► Developer Support: Launching the One-stop Open-source Tutorial Platform for RoboCup

From the initial stage of platform design, it has been positioned as developer infrastructure, rather than mere documentation. A sound software ecosystem should lower engineering barriers and environmental costs, allowing developers to focus more on strategy optimization and algorithm innovation. This constitutes the core differentiated advantage of the Mini Pi Plus within the RoboCup ecosystem.

► Event Highlights Review

Claiming the Championship at RoboCup German Open: The Pi+ Platform Helps ZJU Team Win the Title

On March 14, 2026, in the Small Size League of the humanoid robot football event at the RoboCup German Open, the ZJUDancer team from Zhejiang University competed with the humanoid robot platform Pi+ developed by High Torque Robotics. They defeated the defending champion Hamburg Bit-Bots by a score of 4:1 and claimed the championship title.

Pi+ Scores a Winning Debut in Fully Autonomous Soccer Matches

From December 26 to 27, 2025, the inaugural Beijing University Students "AI+" Innovation Competition concluded successfully. As an important official partner and technical support provider of the event, High Torque Robotics hosted the "Green Field Showdown — Humanoid Robot 3V3 Soccer Match". All 16 participating teams competed with the Mini Pi Plus humanoid robot. Across 15 matches held in two days, the hardware achieved a 100% zero-fault operation rate.

► Ecosystem Co-construction & Partnership Support

Centering on the RoboCup competition system, we will continue to invest in and deeply participate in major events, while engaging in various robotics games. We strive to advance the implementation and application of humanoid robots in real-world scenarios. In terms of cooperation models, we provide comprehensive support for universities, research institutions and participating teams:

1. Standard Platform Support: Provide dedicated humanoid robot platforms for RoboCup events

2. Exclusive Procurement Policy: Offer discounted purchasing prices for participating teams

3. Technical & On-site Support: Deliver on-site engineer assistance and technical guarantee during competitions

4. Long-term Ecosystem Cooperation: Organize technical exchanges and developer community activities

Going forward, High Torque Robotics will further advance the in-depth application of the Pi+ platform in robot soccer, scientific research and education, and the developer ecosystem. We look forward to collaborating with more universities, research teams and developers to build an open and coordinated robotics ecosystem, and accelerate integrated breakthroughs bridging RoboCup competitions and real-world applications.