IMDA and Mandai Wildlife Group collaborate to establish Singapore’s wildlife parks as a testbed for outdoor all-terrain Autonomous Mobile Robots

1. Spanning guest interactions, deliveries and surveillance in a challenging, diverse landscape, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is partnering Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) to launch Singapore’s pilot deployment of outdoor, all-terrain Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. This is a significant step forward in establishing the Mandai Wildlife Reserve as a smart precinct by integrating advanced robotics into the wildlife parks, blending technology and nature to enhance guest experience and operational efficiency.

2. The initiative, which involves industry partners such as tech solution providers, will trial AMRs with specialised functions to provide critical data in assessing the technology's business viability. At the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, currently home to four of Singapore’s all-weather wildlife parks, the AMRs will be deployed from the first quarter of 2025. Complemented by tele-operations, this deployment will not only showcase the robots’ capabilities but enable seamless remote management of the various AMRs at work, setting new benchmarks for outdoor robotics applications. The insights gained will also help refine the technology for large-scale adoption across industries in Singapore.

3. Mr Leong Der Yao, Assistant Chief Executive, Sectoral Transformation Group, IMDA said, “Industry collaborations are an integral part of IMDA’s efforts to build Singapore’s AMR capabilities. This partnership with Mandai Wildlife Group will enable our local AMR tech solution providers to develop solutions to fit the business and operational needs of an outdoor attraction, while addressing technical challenges to close the gap in the current AMR technologies. We will foster an ecosystem where companies can collaborate, innovate and overcome technical barriers. Looking ahead, we want to increase the successful deployment of AMRs in Singapore, opening pathways for broader adoption across Singapore’s industries. This pilot is just the beginning of how smart technologies like AMRs will transform how we live, work and play, creating a future where automation enhances experiences and efficiency for businesses and consumers alike."

4. Ms Belina Lee, Deputy CEO, Transformation and Growth, Mandai Wildlife Group added, “We are on a journey to transform the Mandai Wildlife Reserve into a smart precinct, where technology and innovation are leveraged to enhance guest experience and animal care, while optimising operations. Through our collaboration with IMDA, we have been tapping into the technology ecosystem to find innovative solutions that address the unique challenges as we transition from a collection of wildlife parks to a nature and wildlife precinct. The AMR trial is our latest important milestone that seeks to demonstrate the potential of autonomous systems in dynamic environments, delivering impactful and positive business outcomes across multiple use cases. We are excited to deepen our collaborations with IMDA and industry partners, with the Mandai Wildlife Reserve serving as a living lab for innovation, where we can test and refine new technologies that will help us stay future-ready and delivering actionable insights that will shape the next generation of technologies.”

Unlocking new possibilities for Outdoor Robotics

5. Many AMRs today are designed for flat roads or concrete pavements. The trial at Singapore’s integrated wildlife and nature destination will explore the potential for AMRs to navigate challenging outdoor environments, such as uneven terrains and areas exposed to varying weather conditions. To adapt to the precinct’s unique environment, customisations have been made to the existing AMR models, including larger, toughened wheels to navigate diverse and rugged terrains, and weather-resistant casing to operate smoothly in adverse weather conditions.

6. The pilot will involve the deployment of three specialised AMRs at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, each designed to address specific operational needs. Another key feature of the trial is the seamless remote management of the various AMRs at work, enabling efficient coordination of multiple robots working in tandem.

• Concierge Autonomous Mobile Robot
  (Developed by Autove)
  This will serve as an additional touchpoint for visitors, offering general information on services like lockers, itinerary recommendations at the wildlife parks, as well as wayfinding and way-guiding. Equipped with advanced human-robot interaction and crowd sensing capabilities, the Concierge AMR is designed to navigate crowded areas efficiently and safely lead guests from one location to another. The robot will be deployed between the Singapore Zoo entrance and the pick-up/drop-off point at the carpark during the trial.
• Delivery Autonomous Mobile Robot
  (Developed by Botmind)
  Designed to facilitate logistics, this robot will transport items navigating through different terrains including slopes and pathways under different environmental conditions. The robot can adapt to dynamic environments and detect objects in real-time to deliver animal feed from the Avian Nutrition Centre to nine zones across the 17-hectare Bird Paradise, helping to free up 1,200 manhours per year.
• Surveillance Autonomous Mobile Robot
  (Developed by dConstruct)
  Equipped with advanced sensors and cameras, the robot can aid operations and security personnel in monitoring park grounds. It can patrol diverse terrains with live camera feed and alert the teams to unidentified objects, complementing existing efforts to ensure a safe environment for guests and staff. In particular, it can detect and differentiate human silhouettes from objects through Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors. The data collected by the robot will enhance oversight and improve incident response times. This robot will be deployed at the freely accessible boardwalk next year, when the trial kicks off.
• Tele-Operations: Seamless Remote Management
  (Developed by Kabam)
  Operators will be able to remotely monitor and concurrently manage different types of AMRs from various service providers through a centralised control system, streamlining task coordination, path deconfliction and enabling flexibility in AMR deployment.

7. IMDA and MWG will also continue to work with the tech solution providers to enhance the robots’ capabilities in areas of guest interaction, delivery and surveillance to meet the varying needs of the wildlife parks. These improvements aim to boost operational efficiency and productivity, making way for employees to focus on more value-added tasks.

8. This initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) between IMDA and MWG in 2023 to co-develop innovative solutions for commercial deployment, addressing immediate market gaps and helping enterprises to be future-ready with new capabilities.