Pre-call for Competitions
We are pleased to announce the continuation of the RoboSoft Competition in Brisbane in 2027, with all new competition challenges focused on less structured environments. RoboSoft 2027 will feature a wild locomotion challenge and a wild manipulation challenge (short descriptions below); teams may participate in one or both.
We anticipate the first full draft of the rule book in October 2026, and submissions will open at that time. A final rule book will be available in December with aggregated FAQ. For the most current information, please visit the RoboSoft 2027 website.
Wild Manipulation Challenge
The wild manipulation challenge will mainly focus on testing the ability of soft robotic systems to grasp, handle, perceive and interact with diverse objects in both isolated and cluttered environments with different geometries, material properties, textures, deformability, and levels of uncertainties. Following a successful, high-quality grasp, teams will be required to classify the objects accurately based on their firmness.
Wild Locomotion Challenge
The locomotion challenge will feature multiple terrains in miniature and teams will need to develop a compact soft robot that can move confidently across those terrains. There will be obstacles aplenty, and perhaps even a water feature. Teams will have the option of following an organizer-planned route or proposing their own to maximize difficulty (and points).
We welcome both autonomous and teleoperated robots in each challenge.
How to Apply
Submissions for the competition will be due on 20th January 2027, with acceptance decisions anticipated shortly thereafter. The application will ask for a short video and the associated technical description of each team’s robotic systems at the current stage.
For further information, please contact the competition chairs: Gina Olson (ginaolson@umass.edu) and Xing Wang (xing.wang@canberra.edu.au).