The National Robotics Program (NRP), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), PINE Lab@NTU, and semiconductor company Micron Technology announced Wednesday the launch of the Singapore Embodied AI Challenge for Manufacturing, Singapore’s first national-level competition dedicated to advancing embodied artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics through real-world industry challenges.
It is also among the first embodied AI competitions globally to be built around a real-world use case provided by an industry partner, creating a direct pathway for promising solutions to be translated into practical manufacturing applications, A*STAR said in a statement.
The inaugural competition features a semiconductor manufacturing challenge, where participants will develop and test embodied AI solutions against real-world industrial requirements.
With a total prize pool of S$88,000, including a top prize of S$50,000, the challenge is open to teams worldwide, with the onsite finals taking place at RoboSG! 2027 on 20 March 2027.
Participants will develop embodied AI solutions using a robotic embodiment platform to perform precise industrial manipulation tasks within a 3D mock-up chamber developed by Micron.
Teams will program robots to execute tasks such as opening the chamber, removing and reinstalling components, conducting inspections, cleaning surfaces, and completing reassembly procedures.
The semiconductor manufacturing use case for the inaugural edition aligns with Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and the growing interest in applying embodied AI solutions to industrial environments.
Semiconductor manufacturing presents a particularly demanding testbed due to its requirements for precision, repeatability and operational reliability.
As Singapore continues to invest in advanced manufacturing capabilities, the challenge provides an opportunity to advance embodied AI technologies in areas where A*STAR and industry partners are driving innovation to improve industrial productivity and competitiveness.
“At Micron, we believe AI can unlock new possibilities by accelerating intelligence and expanding human potential to enrich life for all. Through this first-of-its-kind embodied AI challenge and our ongoing collaborations with institutes of higher learning, we hope to empower the next generation of talent in Singapore to seize the opportunities of an AI-enabled future,” said Joshua Lee, Corporate Vice President and Singapore Country Manager at Micron Technology.
The challenge supports Singapore’s ambition to become an international proving ground for robotics and embodied AI, bringing together researchers, industry partners, start-ups and global talent to develop and validate solutions against practical industry needs.
It also builds on Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and robotics research, where A*STAR and the wider research and innovation ecosystem work to translate advanced technologies into solutions that strengthen industrial competitiveness.
“The Singapore Embodied AI Challenge for Manufacturing reflects Singapore’s ambition to be a trusted international proving ground for robotics and embodied AI innovation, where industry partners, researchers and technology developers can come together to develop, test and validate technologies against real industry challenges,
“By bringing together global talent, the competition provides a platform to accelerate the translation of cutting-edge technologies into deployment-ready solutions. We invite participants from around the world to join us in shaping the next generation of embodied AI applications,” said Tung Meng Fai, Executive Director, NRP.
Micron will contribute sponsorship funding and technical expertise to shape the competition challenge. Infineon Technologies will contribute sensor technologies, while Galbot will provide a robotic platform, developer toolkit, robot hardware, and support for real-world data collection.
Technology Partners Lightwheel and the National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC) Singapore will support the development of the competition infrastructure, including simulation, benchmarking, evaluation, and AI cloud computing resources.
The competition begins with an online simulation phase, which is currently underway until December 31, 2026.
Participants will receive simulation data, synthetic datasets, baseline models and evaluation tools to develop, train and benchmark their embodied AI solutions. The highest-scoring teams will advance to the onsite finals, with shortlisted overseas teams eligible for travel subsidies.
The finals will take place at RoboSG! 2027, NRP’s biennial flagship robotics event. Finalists will deploy their solutions in a physical arena and compete to complete designated assembly tasks within a limited timeframe. Teams will be ranked based on the number of operational steps they successfully complete.
“Embodied AI represents the next frontier in robotics, bridging the gap between digital intelligence and physical execution. Translating foundational models into high-precision, reliable physical manipulation in demanding environments, such as semiconductor manufacturing, requires rigorous benchmarking and tight industry collaboration,
“Through the Singapore Embodied AI Challenge for Manufacturing, PINE Lab@NTU is excited to co-create a realistic proving ground that empowers global innovators to advance deployment-ready robotic intelligence,” said Prof Ziwei Wang, Director of PINE Lab@NTU.
The challenge is open to teams worldwide, including students, engineers, roboticists, AI researchers, startups, and multidisciplinary teams interested in developing embodied AI and robotics solutions for industrial applications.
Teams may comprise one to five members, with collaborations between academia and industry strongly encouraged to foster the development of practical, deployment-ready solutions.
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