Releases: RoboCupAtHome/RuleBook
Releases · RoboCupAtHome/RuleBook
2026.2
This (bigger than usual) minor update focuses on clarifications, scoring adjustments, consistency improvements, and refinements based on feedback from local competitions, teams, referees, and Technical Committee discussions.
We encourage all teams to carefully review the updated rulebook and changelog before upcoming competitions.
Highlights
Common Competition Objects
A set of commonly available objects has now been explicitly standardized for competition use, allowing teams to prepare without requiring the full YCB object dataset. These objects will be prepared on an additional surface during Pick and Place Challenge Robots may pick these simpler objects with a small scoring penalty.
- Red Bull can
- Pringles can
- Rubik’s Cube
- Colgate toothpaste box
Full details are available in the corresponding pull requests and the updated rulebook repository:
Changelog
- 1048 Clarify ruling on tool use during test
- Starting with tool in hand counts as different robot configuration. This means it counts as a second robot and needs to pass Inspection. The container for Restaurant remains an exception to this.
- #1047 Doing Laundry Add appendix for scoring folding
- #1046 Reduce overall scores in Restaurant
- Add first pick/place bonus to encourage manipulation
- #1038 Adjustments for Finals
- additional task: move laundry basket near the washing machine
- reduce points for closing
- #1037 Add environment change penalty to Doing Laundry
- #1035 #1036 #1042#1043 #1044 #1045 Various rule improvements and clarifications
- #1034 Robot interactions are now always scored by the person interacting with the robot.
- e.g. it is often hard for the referees to understand if the robot says the correct information or held eye contact
- #1033 Time limit for Human Robot Interaction Challenge is now always 7 minutes regardless of door opening.
- #1025 Updates to Pick and Place Challenge
- Added side table with two common items (worldwide available set). Robots may choose to pick these instead of the objects on the dining table and store them in the cabinet with a small penalty (simpler and known in advance).
- Added human assistance penalty for requesting environment changes (move chairs or decorations). Penalty is per item moved (per chair or per set of decorations)
- #1023 Restaurant order is now capped at 2 items. Decreased penalties where robot asked for customer location info (not guided).
- #1021 Doing Laundry improvements
- changes in Doing Laundry procedure and scoring
- No points for simple pick and place: now onetime score for picking a single clothing piece from basket
- Penalties for dropping clothing
- Higher score for first folded item
- Specific HumanAssistance penalty for arranging or flattening the clothing before folding.
- #1021 Improve scoresheets
- remove bonus goal rulings, most objectives can be obtained at any time, unless task specific remarks.
- #1022 Add missing Restaurant restart rulings.
- #1024 Remove cabinet door closing from finals
- Doors no longer requirement for LOC. Will be added as additional goal if available.
- #1017 Added common objects always used during competition
- e.g. red bull can, pringles can, rubiks cube and colgate toothpaste box were selected due to their availability worldwide.
- Explicit mention allows teams to acquire and prepare for these objects without buying the full ycb dataset
- #1018 Updated start signal rulings.
- The manual start signal is now explicitly used during inspection
- #1019 Updated number of teams qualified for Finals
- With the removal of the sub-leagues more teams fit in the schedule of the finals
- Added clarification that Restaurant is only run once
- Added Restaurant may require registration/qualification
- #1010 Add handover rulings to Human Robot Interaction Challenge
- #1008 Fix inconsistencies in scenario description and league requirements
- #1012 Improve following the host description
- #1007 Fix wrong 'not attending penalty' in penalty section
- #1009 Removed some SPL mentions
2026.1
Announcements
As per Re-Imagining RoboCup the 2025 competition was the last to feature two separate sub-leagues. We move to a single, unified RoboCup@Home league. Former DSPL participants are encouraged to join the unified OPL.
The Stage system is (mostly) abandoned, all teams participate in the every tasks (Participation in the Final is still limited to the top teams). The Restaurant task depends on the local setting and participation may require prior registration and/or qualification based on scored points.
Changelog
- #998 Update GPSR
- Add rephrasing by llm and corresponding rulings.
- Removed non-expert operator as rephrasing is now included.
- #999 Update Final
- Just add rulings - Final still uses old EGPSR Task Rulings
- #994: New Task Pick and Place Challenge
- Combines aspects of Storing Groceries, Serve Breakfast and Clean the Table
- Robot is free to choose what parts to solve.
- #995: Rename Receptionist → Human Robot Interaction Challenge
- Removed predetermined list of names and drinks; now any English name can be chosen.
- Removed drink location requirement, as object recognition is not the task focus.
- Added a short following (“help me carry”) procedure at the end.
- Added doorbell/knock recognition.
- #997: Removed QR codes from Rulebook.
- Showing QR code is too unnatural.
- added clarifications to natural alternative HRI (i.e. touchscreens)
- #990: New Restart Rule
- A restart no longer requires requeuing. Instead the team immediately continues with the second attempt.
- Test time continues running, and the team must resume the test within 1 minute.
- All points scored before the restart are voided.
- #990: Remove Stage system
- The stage system was removed to simplify the competition format.
- Previously, only a subset of teams advanced to later stages, which limited participation and reduced the number of runs per team. In the new format, all teams compete in the same set of tasks across multiple days, ensuring more consistent evaluation.
- The new structure also allows teams to demonstrate progress and improve their performance over the course of the competition.
- The number of tasks was reduced to four (repeated each day) plus the Restaurant test.
- Removed EGPSR
- Removed Help me Carry
- A goal is to reduce unnecessary repetition of skills across tasks, making each task more meaningful and distinct.
- #987: Merge both leagues - Remove DSPL.
- A single, unified RoboCup@Home league takes effect immediately.
Full Changelog: 2025.1...2026.1
2025.1
Rulebook 2025
- Discontinue Social Standard Platform League.
- New tasks: Give Me A Hand and revamped Finals.
- Extended and updated tasks: Storing Groceries, Clean the Table, Receptionist, EGPSR.
- Removed: Serve Breakfast and Stickler
- Rule changes: Robot restarts allowed; mounted microphones now permitted (DSPL).
Changelog
- #946, #947: Various small scoring changes.
- Receptionist: : Test time now starts only after the first person enters the arena or two minutes after the start signal, allowing up to two extra minutes to open the door for the first guest.
- #943: New HRI task Give Me A Hand replacing Stickler. See the pull request for full details.
- #938: Expanded problem set for EGPSR.
- Increased the number of generated problems to boost audience engagement.
- Repeatedly solving the same category now awards fewer points.
- Setup generator moved to RoboCupAtHome/CommandGenerator.
- #928: New Finals format introduced. Check out the pull request for the rationale.
- Finals are now task-like instead of a presentation.
- Based on EGPSR, with the addition of opening and closing doors (arena, cabinet, and dishwasher).
- #921: New Robot restart procedure during challenges.
- Teams may request one restart per attempt, subject to a 30-second penalty.
- Restart requires the team to leave the arena, requeue, and restart within their remaining time.
- #935: Add additional tasks to storing groceries.
- Use of both cabinet doors required.
- Add refilling storage containers (pouring).
- Add grasping from the shopping bag.
- Increase time limit to 7 minutes.
- #936: Extend Clean the Table.
- Put drink items into trash.
- Wipe the table under drinks.
- Miscellaneous scoring changes.
- #933: Remove Serve Breakfast task to optimize Stage 1 schedule.
- #920: DSPL: Mounted microphones now permitted on the HSR robot.
- #922: Removed bonus for perceived social intelligence, as the evaluation was impractical at RoboCup.
- #917: Reverted the split between Rulebook and Organization document.
- #887: Discontinued the Social Standard Platform League.
- Low participation levels.
- Former SSPL teams may now join the Open Platform League (OPL) and modify their robots.
- #903: Rename Carry My Luggage to Help Me Carry.
- #908: Remove the possibility of doing other tasks during the GPSR slot.
2024.2
2024.1
Rulebook [2024.1]
- split document into Rulebook and Organization document (PR)
- RoboCup@Home Rulebook: Rules and Regulations for the competition.
- RoboCup@Home Organization document: Rules and Regulations on the organization of the competition
- New Command Generator for GPSR
- updated Task: EGPSR (PR)
- Robot has to restore the default arena state and requests
- add a social survey in restaurant and receptionist tasks (PR)
- requesting Deus Ex Machina assistance now requires the robot to show its perception (PR)
- small scoring items for attempting tasks, and more consistent scoring between tests (PR)
2023.2
Bordeaux, France 2023
2023.1
Draft