Hello to all soccer competitors! We have recently been informed of new Lego-compatible infrared sensors that can be used in conjunction with the RoboCup Junior soccer ball. These sensors are either already available in the market or are coming soon:
- Spike Prime IR Sensor Ring by Advanced Bot Works: https://advancedbotworks.com/products/Spike-Prime-IR-Sensor-Ring-p630192260
- QikEasy IR Seeker: https://www.qikeasy.com/facebook-ad-funnel/landing-page/
Please note that the 2024 Soccer Rules state in Rule 4.5.3 that for Simple Simon and Standard Leagues, only a select number of aftermarket IR sensors are allowed. Therefore, the Advanced Bot Works and QikEasy sensors are NOT allowed in the 2024 National Championship in Brisbane.
We want to make sure competitions are fair and teams have an even playing field – many teams and states are not aware of the new sensor, and with limited stock and only a few months until the National Championship, we want to make sure teams can source funding and try out the sensor, and to make sure the suppliers can reliably produce and ship these sensors for teams across Australia.
We do appreciate the interest in lowering the cost of entry into Soccer, and the reduced cost of these sensors helps this effort substantially. RoboCup Junior Australia has been working hard to keep competitions open and equitable for all and our rules must reflect this orientation. As such, our current plan is to allow these sensors in 2025, and we will give more information at the start of next year. This gives soccer teams the best balance between not disadvantaging teams still using less accurate sensors, while also pushing the competition forward.
Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions regarding this decision, please contact the National Soccer Coordinator via [email protected].
Soccer Technical Committee