B-Human Defends Standard Platform League Title at RoboCup German Open 2025, Sets Sights on World Championship

(IN BRIEF) At the RoboCup German Open 2025 in Nuremberg, the B-Human robot soccer team, a collaboration between the University of Bremen and DFKI, defended its title in the Standard Platform League with a perfect record and an impressive 73-0 goal score. The team dominated every stage of the tournament—from the preliminary rounds to the finals—winning all matches with clear margins, including decisive victories over teams from Kaiserslautern, Italy, and Hamburg. Innovations in autonomous game control were highlighted by new rules involving whistle signals and referee gestures, challenging the robots to enhance their real-time decision-making. Dr. Thomas Röfer affirmed that each victory validates the ongoing progress in AI-controlled robotics, emphasizing continuous improvements in tactics and perception. With plans now underway for the upcoming RoboCup World Championship 2025 in Salvador, Brazil, B-Human is poised to extend its legacy. The team, consisting of University of Bremen students, an alumnus, and PhD candidates, is supported by longstanding sponsors and partners, further cementing its status as one of the most successful teams in RoboCup history.

(PRESS RELEASE) KAISERSLAUTERN, 18-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Bremen’s renowned robot soccer team, B-Human, has once again demonstrated its international prowess. At the RoboCup German Open 2025, held from March 12-16 in Nuremberg, Germany, the collaborative team from the University of Bremen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) successfully defended its title in the Standard Platform League with an unmatched performance. Finishing the tournament with a flawless record and an astonishing goal tally of 73-0, B-Human continues to set new benchmarks in the world of autonomous robotics.

From the opening whistle, B-Human asserted its dominance on the field, securing victory in every match with ease. The autonomous NAO robots showcased their exceptional skills in the preliminary round, achieving a goal difference of 44-0—the only team among the ten participants to boast a positive goal difference. In the quarterfinals, the team extended its record with a resounding 10-0 win over the R-ZWEI KICKERS from Kaiserslautern, followed by another 10-0 triumph against SPQR from Italy in the semifinals. The final saw B-Human clinch the title with a 9-0 victory over the HULKs from Hamburg, with precise passing being a hallmark of their play throughout the tournament.

Dr. Thomas Röfer, project manager of B-Human and researcher at DFKI’s Cyber-Physical Systems department, remarked, “Every title we win confirms that our research in AI-controlled robotics is on the right track. Our robots are constantly evolving in terms of tactics, game understanding, and perception—advancements that are crucial for the future of autonomous systems.”

This year’s competition also placed a new emphasis on autonomous game control, as the RoboCup rules increasingly mirror human soccer. One notable change was the incorporation of whistle signals by the referee to announce kickoffs and goals, requiring the robots to adapt by processing auditory cues. Additionally, the introduction of referee gestures—first used last year as a signal to enter the field—now also determines which team is allowed to take standard situations such as free kicks, penalty kicks, corner kicks, goal kicks, or throw-ins. These rule modifications have pushed B-Human to further refine its capabilities in real-time decision-making and sensor integration.

Looking ahead, with its victory in Nuremberg firmly in the bag, B-Human is setting its sights on the next major challenge: the RoboCup World Championship 2025. Scheduled to take place in Salvador, Brazil from July 15-21, the team is determined to carry forward its winning momentum and clinch the world title once again.

Since its inception in 2009, B-Human has consistently ranked among the top teams in the Standard Platform League. Notably, during the RoboCup German Open 2025, the team celebrated a milestone in its preliminary match against the HULKs, marking its 200th official league match and scoring the 1400th goal. Comprised of 26 University of Bremen students, one alumnus, and two PhD candidates, B-Human is guided by the scientific expertise of Dr. Thomas Röfer from DFKI’s Cyber-Physical Systems department, led by Prof. Dr. Rolf Drechsler, and Dr. Tim Laue from the Multisensory Interactive Systems group, headed by Prof. Dr. Udo Frese at the University of Bremen.

Since 2017, CONTACT Software, a leading provider of product lifecycle management and digital transformation solutions, has been the main sponsor. The team also benefits from the support of partners including JUST ADD AI, cellumation, Ubica Robotics, and the Alumni Association of the University of Bremen.

Contact:
Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Inform. Thomas Röfer
Thomas.Roefer@dfki.de
Phone: +49 421 218 64200

Press contact:
Communications & Media DFKI Bremen
communications-hb@dfki.de

SOURCE: DKFI