Singapore’s Nationwide Robotics Programme reveals initiatives to advance robotic adoption

The Nationwide Robotics Programme, or NRP, of Singapore yesterday introduced new initiatives to advance robotics adoption and construct a future-ready robotics workforce. They embody organising a shared testbed, a brand new collaboration, nationwide requirements to advance robotic interoperability, and a program to strengthen expertise improvement.

“Via open collaboration and shared infrastructure, Singapore helps business companions deploy robotics quicker, safer, and extra broadly,” mentioned Tung Meng Fai, the chief director of the NRP. “It’s encouraging to see the Robotics Middleware Framework, which originated from Singapore, now proliferating globally as Open-RMF and creating influence throughout industries. These newest initiatives reinforce Singapore’s function as each a contributor to the worldwide open-source group and a hub for robotics adoption.”

The NRP mentioned these initiatives mirror the nation’s rising function as a world testbed for open and interoperable robotics, uniting public businesses, analysis companions, and corporations to translate innovation into scalable, real-world options.

The bulletins had been made at ROSCon 2025, a developer convention for open-source robotics. The Open Supply Robotics Basis (OSRF) hosted the present in Singapore for the primary time.

The NRP was established in 2016 as a part of the RIE (Analysis, Innovation and Enterprise) initiative. The group goals to catalyze differentiated robotics capabilities in Singapore by way of the funding of use-inspired analysis and use-driven improvement. NRP additionally makes use of the tasks it funds to develop Singapore’s robotics expertise pool and nurture a vibrant native ecosystem.

Singapore NRP creates testbeds for RMF

Visitor-of-honor Prof. Tan Chorh Chuan, the chairman of A*STAR, toured the Singapore Pavilion at ROSCon. | Supply: NRP

Singapore’s Nationwide Robotics Programme co-launched the Robotics Middleware Framework (RMF) in 2018. The organizations developed this system regionally with companions Changi Basic Hospital (CGH), the Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Know-how (CHART), Synapxe, HOPE Technik, and OSRF. It turned one of many world’s first commonplace platforms for robotics interoperability.

Constructed on the Robotic Working System (ROS), a set of software program libraries and instruments that assist builders construct robotic functions, RMF permits robots and methods from completely different producers to work collectively. It reduces repetitive integration work and helps robotics adopters and corporations deploy robots extra safely and effectively. RMF is already in use in main services such because the CGH and the Changi Airport.

To allow safer and quicker deployment of robots in shared environments, NRP introduced the institution of the ELEVATE at BCA Braddell Campus — a nationwide sandbox for RMF. The group made the announcement along with the Public Sector Science and Know-how Coverage and Plans Workplace (S&TPPO), the Company for Science, Know-how and Analysis (A*STAR), and the Constructing and Development Authority (BCA).

This sandbox gives each a bodily and digital check setting for collaboration. It permits finish customers, OEMs for robots and infrastructure, and system integrators to come back collectively and validate how robots, lifts, and constructing methods work together in services administration utilizing Open-RMF. Will probably be the primary of a number of sectoral sandboxes deliberate to drive RMF adoption throughout industries.

NRP is inviting native companions to take part within the sandbox at ELEVATE at BCA Braddell Campus. A number of firms, together with Black Sesame Applied sciences, Delta Electronics, HOPE Technik, KABAM Robotics, LionsBot, MEGAZO Applied sciences, Panasonic, and SIMPPLE, are the primary contributors of the sandbox.

A*STAR and OSRF to collaborate on greatest practices

Again row from left to proper: Dr. Brian Gerkey, board chair of the OSRF; Prof. Tan Chorh Chuan, chairman of A*STAR; and Mr. Tung Meng Fai, the chief director of the NRP. Entrance row from left to proper: Ms. Vanessa Yamzon Orsi, the CEO of the OSRF; and Dr. Zhang Jingbing, the senior R&D director of good robotics and automation at A*STAR SIMTech and A*STAR ARTC. | Supply: NRP

To strengthen worldwide collaboration, the A*STAR Superior Remanufacturing and Know-how Centre (A*STAR ARTC) and the OSRF signed a memorandum of understanding.

The companions mentioned they’ll co-develop greatest practices, pointers, and testing plans for RMF because it pertains to open supply robotics, utilizing the sandbox at ELEVATE at BCA Braddell Campus as a reference website. Additionally they plan to concentrate on ecosystem progress by way of roadmap improvement and group engagement.

“Our collaboration with the Open Supply Robotics Basis underscores A*STAR’s dedication to advancing open, interoperable applied sciences,” mentioned Dr David Low, CEO of A*STAR ARTC. “By combining A*STAR’s technical experience with OSRF’s international expertise, we purpose to additional develop the Open-RMF as a common framework for robotic interoperability and speed up robotics adoption throughout industries. This partnership exemplifies A*STAR’s mission to translate analysis into real-world influence.”

Singapore develops two nationwide requirements for interoperability

Avidbots deployed cleansing robots on the Changi Airport in Singapore. | Supply: NRP

To assist protected and scalable robotics adoption, Singapore’s two new nationwide requirements for robotic interoperability had been showcased at ROSCon 2025. These requirements are:

Robotics working teams developed the SS 713 and TR 130, overseen by the Manufacturing Requirements Committee underneath the purview of the Singapore Requirements Council. These working teams, co-convened by CHART and HOPE Technik, had been made up of presidency and business stakeholders. They established clear pointers governing how robots ought to talk with lifts, automated doorways, constructing methods, and central command methods.

SS 713, which focuses particularly on constructing infrastructure integration, provides a unified protocol for standardised robotic operations in complicated services. Corporations aligned with this commonplace will be capable of show readiness to facility operators. The NRP mentioned efforts are underneath strategy to elevate SS 713 to the worldwide ISO stage, setting a world benchmark for robotic communication with facility methods worldwide.

Making a future-ready robotics workforce

To strengthen Singapore’s robotics expertise pipeline, the ROS-Industrial Consortium Asia Pacific (ROS-I AP), led by A*STAR ARTC, and SGInnovate launched the ROS Prepare-and-Place Programme on Deep Tech Central.

This program builds on an earlier partnership between ROS-I AP and 7 Institutes of Larger Studying. This partnership centered on nurturing a baseline competency of ROS-related capabilities that the business can depend on. It did this by way of harmonising college students’ studying outcomes and bettering their ROS capabilities.

The most recent collaboration between ROS-I AP and SGInnovate will emphasise business placement. It’s going to use SGInnovate’s ecosystem connectivity and expertise improvement programmes to attach expertise instantly with robotics firms akin to AiTreat, Fabrica AI, Griffin Labs, Hivebotics, and Vilota.

By equipping trainees with hands-on expertise and connecting them with deployment alternatives, this system hopes to deal with the expertise hole in robotics and embodied AI and construct a pipeline of ROS-trained expertise. The info and insights generated from Deep Tech Central may even allow a deeper understanding of robotics expertise wants and business demand, strengthening the capabilities of Singapore’s robotics ecosystem whereas contributing to the broader international robotics group, mentioned the companions.