The challenge of motion planning for soccer playing humanoid robots

Motion planning for humanoids faces several challenging issues: high dimensionality of the configuration space, necessity to address balance constraints in single and double support mode, higher levels of planning for coordination of different skills, etc. While the above challenges hold for any humanoid robot, the soccer scenario adds difficulties rarely addressed in humanoid motion planning research, as for example: dynamic environments with active opponents, the requirement to perform short- and long-term plans for performing soccer-relevant actions, and the necessity to plan movements purposely terminating with a collision with the ball. These aspects open a completely new scenario for researchers. This paper surveys state-of-the-art research in motion planning for humanoid robots with a focus on outlining connections, differences, and identifying the key aspects that ought to be addressed when developing effective humanoid soccer players.