Interview with the Champion of Tianjin International Invitational, IFI Team Leader from University of Science and Technology Beijing
The journey to success is from 1 to 99
and the final step to excellence is from 99 to 100
On May 21st, with the last referee's whistle, the 2023 RoboCup Tianjin International Invitational football standard platform competition came to an end. Over the three-day event, the IFI team from University of Science and Technology Beijing excelled in the group stage and successfully advanced, ultimately defeating the veteran strong team TJark from Tongji University in the final to claim the championship!
Achieving such an outstanding result in their first offline competition after the pandemic, let's listen to the story behind the championship from IFI team leader, Duan Chengbo.
#01 The Making of a Dark Horse
The IFI Robotics Team of University of Science and Technology Beijing was established in 2017 and has been participating in RoboCup China competitions since its inception, accumulating rich experience. The team that competed in the Tianjin International Invitational consisted of eight members, mainly from the School of Automation, School of Computer and Communication Engineering, and School of Mechanical Engineering.
Team members actively prepared in their areas of expertise, and after seven months of integration, they played to their strengths and cooperated seamlessly in this competition, ultimately winning the championship.
When they received the notice of the Tianjin Invitational, the IFI team was preparing for the NAO standard platform competition. After receiving the invitation, the team actively updated algorithms, referred to SoftBank Robotics' reference software, sought help from alumni, and carefully analyzed past offline competition videos to strive for the best possible performance.
In addition to overcoming technical challenges, the team members, mostly sophomores and juniors, also faced heavy academic workloads. However, their passion for robotics and football supported them in moving forward, persisting in training during their free time despite academic pressures. The team leader also mentioned that the trust and support among team members not only increased their cooperation but also strengthened their cohesion.
#02 On the Battlefield
In the final match, University of Science and Technology Beijing scored the first goal, leading Tongji 1:0, at which point all IFI team members held their breath. The situation on the field can change rapidly, and the score could easily be tied, all team members kept their eyes tightly on the field until another goal was scored by the robot in dark blue, causing the venue to erupt in cheers.
The moment the chief referee blew the final whistle, the entire IFI team was filled with unprecedented excitement and joy, "I think this is undoubtedly the best reward for our long-term efforts."
Regarding the successful experience of winning the competition, the team leader said it was due to the team's improvement in algorithms and enhanced communication between robots. At the same time, the captain and vice-captain of the IFI team also modestly stated that this time it was "good luck," and they have a longer journey ahead. "Actually, we lost to Tongji in the group match, and we encountered various problems during the competition. We kept the recordings and will continue to analyze and improve the uncertainties brought by our hardware."
#03 The Future is Promising
The IFI team is also looking forward to future competitions. The team leader said the thing he appreciates most about RoboCup is its continuity and stability, which has given him and his team many opportunities to communicate with teams from other schools. Now that the pandemic is no longer a barrier to offline competitions, there will be more opportunities to communicate with other teams offline, which is also a test of the team's technology.
"Offline competitions are a rare experience; the unique charm of NAO lies in its ability to visualize code. Compared to simulation, offline competition not only brings everyone a great visual experience but is also full of uncertainties, which is the charm of offline competitions."

For the team leader, RoboCup is the combination of his love for robots and football, and the two together have created a chemical reaction, achieving a 1+1>2 effect. He is about to complete his undergraduate studies and enter the graduate stage, and he will not give up on NAO robots and RoboCup, and is committed to continuously exploring on this path.
#04 Embracing the Future with NAO
At University of Science and Technology Beijing, NAO robots are not only athletes on the green field but also little teachers in the classroom. The College of Senior Engineers offers an elective course on NAO, welcoming all students interested in NAO to learn about the basic operations and applications of robots.
The team leader said that students really like NAO robots, and the first feeling when they see NAO robots is "being charmed." As a humanoid robot, with its round head, cute movements, and powerful voice system, NAO is less mechanical and more approachable, capturing students' hearts directly. In addition to competitions, NAO can also dance, perform Tai Chi, and chat with students.
"The application range of NAO will definitely be broader. Besides competitions, the medical and education industries will also have a wider range of applications. NAO will definitely have a better future. We look forward to NAO being able to interact with other intelligent devices in the future, and have more creative applications in smart homes and smart cities."
Regarding the future of humanoid robots, the team leader said that with the rapid development of technology, robots can get closer and closer to humans in all aspects, but he does not hope that robots will completely replace humans, nor does he want humans to 'lie flat'. He believes that robots should help humans with heavy, dangerous, and highly repetitive work, improving work efficiency and productivity. Reducing the burden on humans and creating more value in cooperation with humans.