Robots to provide on-demand delivery services in Singapore

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority announced it is conducting a new trial to test the use of autonomous robots for on-demand deliveries in the city-state’s Punggol district.

Photo credit: Infocomm Media Development Authority

The year-long trial is expected to pave the way for wider use of autonomous robot “couriers” for food, medicine, and other everyday needs. Consumers can also choose when they want their items delivered, instead of adhering to a fixed delivery schedule.

“With the growth of ecommerce, consumers have grown accustomed to expecting food, products, and groceries to be delivered to their homes in increasingly shorter periods of time,” said Kiren Kumar, deputy chief executive of the IMDA.

The trial is led by the IMDA in partnership with Singapore’s Housing and Development Board, Land Transport Authority, and Urban Redevelopment Authority, as well as logistics service provider CM Logistics, supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice, and autonomous robots builder Otsaw.

Otsaw has provided two robots that can deliver parcels and groceries to the lift lobbies of seven Waterway Woodcress Housing and Development Blocks in Punggol. They will be used to assess the available artificial intelligence technology for autonomous navigation and obstacle detection and avoidance. The trial will also be used to inspect existing infrastructure such as communication systems and road networks, as well as explore business models for commercial viability.

The autonomous robots have been cleared by the Land Transport Authority, with a safety officer accompanying them during the trial period. Weighing 80 kilograms each, the robots have their walking speed capped at about 5 kilometers per hour.