EtherCAT soccer robots are world champions again

September 2023 News

Tech United is a multidisciplinary team of students, postdoctorates and employees of the Eindhoven University of Technology, who are working on robot development. Their expertise is gleaned from the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer algorithms. Tech United relies on EtherCAT for its communication technology, as it has done since the first generation in 2005, and participates in robot tournaments around the world. The team has done it again: its autonomous EtherCAT-based soccer robots won the world championship, the RoboCup, the most powerful league in robot soccer.

The RoboCup is an annual world championship for robots that can communicate and respond to an ever-changing environment. It is an open-source competition, and after each tournament all of the knowledge gained is shared among the teams. The rules of the game also change every year to challenge teams to constantly improve and innovate their technologies.

The software for controlling the robots consists of four modules: Vision, World Model, Strategy, and Motion. The Vision module processes data from the vision sensors, such as omnivision images, to determine the positions of the ball, opponents, and the robot itself. This position data is fed into the World Model. Here, image data from all team members is combined to create a unified representation of the environment. The Strategy module makes decisions based on this generated world model. Finally, the Motion module translates the Strategy module’s instructions into low-level control commands for the robot’s actuators.

Further reading:

Helping mines get results from water improvements
News
South African mines operate under constrained, water-scarce conditions where every investment must be justified. Xylem’s Chetan Mistry explains how the right water technology partner helps mines prioritise high-value water systems across the mining lifecycle.

Read more...

---

From solar to water, onsite plants are the next big industrial resilience shift
News
South African industrial operators who secured their energy supply with onsite solar generation now face the same imperative with water. Robert Erasmus of Sanitech argues that onsite water treatment is the next essential pillar of business continuity.

Read more...

---

From the editor's desk: Pushing engineering to the limit
Technews Publishing News
Among the many things robots can do, it’s a lot of fun to follow how fast they are. They go from the Boston Dynamics cheetah, which first reached a record-breaking speed of 45,5 km/h, to the robot Charlie ...

Read more...

---

Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme for energy and industrial tech startups.

Read more...

---

VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.

Read more...

---

Sustainable solutions for sugar
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG News
BMG received a Special Commendation Exhibition Stand Award at the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association Congress, where it showcased an integrated turnkey drive solution designed to simplify the upgrading of ageing crushing-mill drive systems.

Read more...

---

Measure, Manage, Maintain: The operating model behind SA’s water resilience
Siemens South Africa News
South Africa’s growing water crisis is putting pressure on infrastructure, municipalities and the economy. Siemens highlights how digital technologies, smarter operations and safe water reuse could help shift the country from crisis response towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.

Read more...

---

VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.

Read more...

---

Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme.

Read more...

---

RX Africa and Messe Muenchen India join forces to strengthen business platforms in Africa
RX Africa News
Messe Muenchen India has announced a strategic partnership with RX Africa to strengthen the scale, reach and market impact of its premier co-located trade fairs, analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa, ahead of their 2027 editions.

Read more...

---