HistoryRoboCupJunior began in 1998, with a demonstration at RoboCup-98 in Paris. The following year, RoboCup-99 in Stockholm exhibited the first interactive RoboCupJunior workshops. At RCJ-2000 in Melbourne, over 100 children participated from 25 schools around Australia, as well as from Germany and the USA. Students entered one of three challenges: soccer, line-following sumo and dance. In addition, over 500 local school children toured the RoboCup venue and learned about the initiative.
RCJ-2001 was held in Seattle, USA, where 25 teams from four countries (USA, Australia, Germany, UK) entered soccer, rescue and dance challenges. A workshop was held following the tournament, in which researchers shared their ideas and progress in educational robotics. RCJ-2002 was held in Fukuoka, Japan, where 59 teams from 12 countries participated. RCJ-2003 was held in Padova, Italy in July 2003, where 57 teams from 15 countries participated. RCJ-2004 was held in Lisbon, Portugal in July 2004, where 162 teams from 18 countries participated. RCJ-2005 was held in Osaka, Japan in July 2005, where 163 teams from 18 countries participated. RCJ-2006 was held in Bremen, Germany, in June 2006, where 240 teams from 22 countries participated. RCJ-2007 was held in Atlanta, USA, in July 2007, where 154 teams from 23 countries participated. RCJ-2008 was held in Suzhou, China, in July 2008, where 201 teams from 20 countries participated. RCJ-2009 was held in Graz, Austria, in June-July 2009, where over 200 teams from 25 countries participated. RCJ-2010 was held in Singapore, in June 2010, where 289 teams from 26 countries participated. RCJ-2011 was held in Istanbul, Turkey, in July 2011, where 251 teams from 30 countries participated. RCJ-2012 will be held in Mexico City, Mexico, in June 2012. |