SINGAPORE, Sept 1 — A humanoid robot is being tested as a guide for commuters at Little India MRT station, but its first trial showed it still has some way to go when it comes to understanding directions and navigating the busy station.
CNA reported that the 1.27m-tall robot, named Olly, is being deployed by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) for a two-week trial aimed at exploring how artificial intelligence-enabled technology could support public transport operations.
Described by LTA as its “newest team member”, Olly can answer commuters’ questions and guide them towards station exits during the weekday trial, which runs from August 31 to September 11 between 10am and noon.
During an interaction on Monday, Olly successfully answered simple questions, including those about the first and last train services, but struggled with more complicated requests.
When asked for directions to Tekka Centre, the robot took several prompts before giving verbal directions, but was unable to physically lead the commuter to the nearest exit.
On another attempt, it misheard “Tekka Centre” as “Teacher’s Centre” and provided directions to the wrong destination.
Olly performed better when asked for directions to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, correctly directing the commuter to Exit F before offering to lead the way.
After receiving confirmation, the robot moved slowly towards the fare gates near Exit F, drawing a small crowd of curious commuters along the way.
“Please stand clear of the robot, thank you,” Olly said when a person blocked its path.
At the fare gates, it provided further instructions on reaching the hospital, including turning left, taking the escalator and proceeding through the Exit F entrance.
Developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree Robotics, Olly will be supervised by LTA staff throughout the trial to ensure it remains operational.
LTA said the trial was being conducted during off-peak hours to assess the robot’s performance in a live station environment and gauge public reaction, adding that there were no immediate plans for deployment.
The authority said Little India MRT station was selected partly because of its proximity to LTA’s headquarters.
The robot attracted considerable attention from commuters, particularly children, with some stopping to take photographs and videos.
Retiree Steve Walker, 69, who had previously worked in robotics, made a special trip to the station after reading about the trial and said he was impressed by the robot’s ability to balance and walk without wobbling.
However, he said Olly struggled to distinguish speech from background noise in the busy station, suggesting that a directional microphone could improve its performance.
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