Published: Nov 02, 2023
enhancing public health and safety with autonomous robots
Intelligent platforms and robotics
HTX, NCS and its partners, principally A*STAR, developed an autonomous ground robot, Xavier, to support a joint project involving five public agencies, namely HTX, National Environment Agency, Land Transport Authority, Singapore Food Agency, and Housing & Development Board. The project aims to deter undesirable social behaviours such as smoking in prohibited areas, illegal hawking and riding of motorised mobility devices on footpaths. Once Xavier detects any of the above, it triggers real-time alerts to the command-and-control centre, and displays scenario-based messages to educate the public. The trial deployment of Xavier supported the work of public officers by reducing the manpower required for foot patrols and improved operation efficiency.
The challenge:
Amidst the pandemic, various government agencies needed reinforcements to enhance public health and safety. A solution was needed to augment surveillance and enforcement resources, while keeping its officers safe.
The solution:
Xavier was created and deployed placed on trial. A highly versatile robot that can be customised for a widespread application in different fields and operational environments. Tele-operated via NCS’s fleet management platform, robotmanager, Xavier enhanced the workforce needs of multiple government agencies. Some of the ground robot’s features include:
- Autonomous navigation - fitted with various sensors and safety features, it can navigate autonomously to avoid obstacles such as pedestrians and vehicles along its patrol route
- Video analytics – fitted with cameras which provide 360-degree video feed to the command-and-control centre
- Interactive dashboard - provides an overview of Xavier’s deployment and health, such as battery and communication status. The interactive dashboard allows officers to receive real-time information and remotely respond to incidents on the ground via a two-way intercom or using pre-recorded audio messages.
The impact:
Xavier was put on 3-week trial to patrol and survey an area with high foot traffic within Toa Payoh Central. It supported the workforce needs of multiple government agencies and helped achieve greater operational efficiency while enhancing public health and safety.