Autonomous Mobile Robots

Robotics and AMRs are advanced technologies still in nascent stage of growth. As part of our efforts to put in place foundations for pervasive autonomy by enhancing physical-digital infrastructure, IMDA is looking at fostering interoperability through middleware, based on the Robotics Middleware Framework (RMF).

Catalysed by the National Robotics Programme (NRP), the RMF is an open-source framework for the orchestration of robot fleets and managing robot traffic. The framework deconflicts operations between different vendors’ robots and infrastructure assets (e.g. indoor lifts and doors), ensuring safe deployment and optimal efficiency, as well as reducing integration costs.

IMDA plays a catalyst role by bringing industry ecosystem players together to address future demands. This is done through collaborations in pilots (e.g. large-scale complex commercial deployments of RMF involving multiple buildings and multiple AMR use cases, ranging from cleaning robots to delivery robots) with enterprise users (e.g., building owners, hotels, logistics companies), industry partners (e.g. system integrators, AMR companies) and the research community.

As part of IMDA’s efforts to work with partners on commercial deployments of RMF to validate ease of implementation as well as potential benefits for enterprises in other sectors through pilots, we have been working with both the supply and demand stakeholders on RMF adoption and use of AMRs. On the supply side, IMDA is looking to building industry tech capabilities of AMR and RMF service providers so their solutions could be deployed successfully. While for the demand side, IMDA is also actively engaging demand users such as estate owners, professional service providers such as cleaning and security service providers to proliferate the use of AMR and RMF.

As part of our efforts to drive adoption and deployment of AMR systems in the commercial sector, IMDA has been working closely with the research community to continuously stay ahead in the developments of RMF so that Singapore can be a thought leader in this space. We also aim to bring together the AMR and RMF ecosystem stakeholders through targeted industry engagement events to share latest technology developments and solutioning options, foster business partnerships in support of AMR and RMF proliferation, etc.

Outdoor AMR deployments face significant challenges due to the dynamic and unstructured nature of outdoor environments. The main challenges revolve around the complex governance, technical limitations, and commercial considerations.

As part of our digital transformation efforts, IMDA has been working with various stakeholders, from government agencies to technology solution providers and end users, to promote innovative development and commercial deployment of outdoor AMR solutions.

IMDA has partnered with Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) to jointly engage selected technology solution providers to develop and implement innovative AMR solutions. Interested industry participants are invited to submit their proposals by 31^st October 2023. You may refer to the CFP details here.

AMR community and industry ecosystem stakeholders (e.g. enterprise users looking at AMR and RMF deployments, AMR/RMF service providers, AMR/RMF research community and interest groups, etc), who are interested in partnering us, please contact us at info@imda.gov.sg.