RoboCup Singapore Humanoid Robot Workshop 2025
Organized by the RoboCup Singapore National Committee and Science Centre Singapore, and co-organized by NTU MAE and Singapore Polytechnic, the 17th RoboCup Singapore Open will take place from 4-6 April 2025, at Science Centre Singapore. This event will welcome over 800 participants from more than ten countries and regions, including Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Macau SAR, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan Region, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam.
As part of the 17th RoboCup Singapore Open, the RoboCup Singapore Humanoid Robot Workshop 2025 will be held on April 4, 2025, bringing together world-leading humanoid robotics experts, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and engineers. This workshop will explore cutting-edge humanoid robot technologies, industry trends, and business opportunities, accelerating the transition of humanoid robots from academic research to real-world applications.
RoboCup: A Global Leader in Humanoid Robotics Research
The RoboCup Humanoid League debuted at RoboCup 2002 in Fukuoka, Japan, marking the beginning of humanoid robot competitions. Since then, RoboCup has remained at the forefront of humanoid robotics research and innovation. In 2024, after a rigorous selection process by the RoboCup Federation, three globally renowned humanoid robotics companies — Booster, Fourier, and Unitree — became RoboCup League Partners.
Workshop Highlights
- Invited talks from distinguished experts in humanoid robotics.
- Leading companies share insights on humanoid robot R&D, commercialization, and applications.
- New humanoid robot launch — experience next-gen humanoid technology first-hand.
- Demonstration of RoboCup humanoid soccer match featuring top university teams, including Tsinghua University.
- RoboCup alumni share their entrepreneurial journeys, from RoboCup competitions to launching successful humanoid robotics companies.
- Meet investors, researchers, and business leaders shaping the future of humanoid robotics.
- Hands-on Session — learn humanoid robot design, programming, and real-world applications.
SG Robotics – Catalysing Capabilities, Capturing Value
Abstract The National Robotics Programme (NRP) is one of the Singapore RIE (Research, Innovation and Enterprise) initiatives. Since it was established in 2016, it has invested in use-inspired and use-driven research and development in various public sector laboratories and centres of excellence to build differentiating robotics capabilities for Singapore. Beyond building technology enablers, NRP has…
Lessons from the SPL for Humanoid leagues
Abstract Standard platforms in robotics competitions have several advantages. As well as easing the cost of entry, having similar hardware makes the sharing of software very easy. The RoboCup Soccer Standard Platform league has progressed rapidly because teams can take the best ideas from across the league to build high performing robots. The increasing popularity…
Kicking Like Humans: Legged Embodied-intelligence of Humanoid Robots
Abstract The RoboCup initiative aims to develop a humanoid robot soccer team that will try to beat the human World Cup champions around 2050. The process of achieving this ambitious goal will inevitably lead to many technological advances and lay the foundation for solving some of the major social problems, especially when dealing with challenges…
Booster Robotics: Advancing RoboCup’s Vision and Our Path Forward
Hao Cheng, Founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Department of Automation at Tsinghua University, where he studied under Professor Mingguo Zhao. He previously founded Zhaoxi Calendar and served as its CEO. After the company was acquired by ByteDance, he became the Vice President of Product for Lark….
Robotics and AI for Transforming Economy – Opportunities and Challenges in UAE
Abstract The transformative potential of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly central to economic diversification strategies, particularly in rapidly modernizing states such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This talk examines the evolving role of Khalifa University on promoting Robotics and AI in shaping a post-oil, knowledge-based economy, with a critical lens on the…
The New Possibilities of Robot Soccer with High-Performance Small Size Humanoids Robot
Abstract HighTorque Robotics specializes in the development of high-performance motors and humanoid robots for embodied intelligence. Our three bipedal models—π, π+, and Hi—feature a fully open SDK, providing developers with a comprehensive and cost-effective experience, including sim-to-real reinforcement learning deployment. Notably, our robots are compactly designed, making them ideal for multi-robot soccer games. Biography Xinhui…
Programme
| 08:30-09:00 | Registration | |
| 09:00-09:10 | Opening Address Professor Zhou Changjiu, President of RoboCup Asia-Pacific (RCAP); Vice President, RoboCup Federation | |
| 09:10-09:40 | Keynote I: SG Robotics – Catalyzing Capabilities, Capturing Value Professor Quek Tong Boon, Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme (NRP), Singapore | |
| 9:40- 10:10 | Keynote II: Lessons from RoboCup Standard Platform League for Humanoid Robotics Professor Claude Sammut, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia Former President of RoboCup Federation | |
| 10:10- 10:30 | Launch of New Humanoid Robot Booster Robotics | |
| 10:30- 11:00 | Tea Break & Humanoid Robot Demonstration | |
| 11:00- 11:30 | Keynote III: Legged Embodied-intelligence of Humanoid Robots Professor Zhao Mingguo, Tsinghua University, China; Chief Scientist of Booster Robotics | |
| 11:30- 12:00 | Industry Talk I: Booster Robotics: Advancing RoboCup’s Vision and Our Path Forward Mr Cheng Hao, Founder & CEO, Booster Robotics | |
| 12:00-12:30 | Demonstration of Humanoid Soccer Robot 3 vs 3 – Team Tsinghua Hephaestus, Tsinghua University – Team CAU Mountain & Sea, China Agricultural University | |
| 12:30-14:00 | Buffet Lunch + Network Session | |
| 14:00-14:30 | Invited Talk I: Robotics and AI for Transforming Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in UAE Professor Jorge Dias, Centre for Autonomous Robotic Systems, Khalifa University, UAE | |
| 14:30-15:00 | Invited Talk II: From Algorithmic and RL-based to LLM-powered Agents Professor An Bo, Director, AI –for-X, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | |
| 15:00-15:20 | Industry Talk II: The New Possibilities of Robot Soccer with High-Performance Small Size Humanoids Robot Mr Wang Xinhui, CTO, High Torque Robotics | |
| 15:20-15:30 | Demonstration of Humanoid Robots Pi & Hi by High Torque Robotics | |
| 15:30-16:00 | Tea Break & Humanoid Robot Exhibition | |
| 16:00-16:30 | Panel Discussion: Challenges, Opportunities and Future for Humanoid Robots | |
| 16:30-17:00 | Hands-on Session: Humanoid Robot Design, Programming and Applications Booster Robotics | |
| 17:00 | End of Workshop |