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The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) students have again demonstrated their excellence in robotics and AI-driven automation by securing the Innovation Award in the tertiary category at RoboRoarZ 2025.
Held from January 23-24, 2025, the two-day RoboRoarZ competition was a design-focused reconfigurable robotics challenge, organised by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
APU’s team competed against 95 teams and over 450 participants from various countries. Using the 'Smorphi' reconfigurable robot designed by SUTD, contestants had to enhance the robot's efficiency and flexibility to complete a simulated food delivery task in the fastest time possible within a complex maze.
APU Team’s winning innovation, which is a transformer robot designed for food automation, showcased unparalleled agility, adaptability, and problem-solving capabilities, setting a new benchmark in intelligent automation.
A vision for the future of Food Industry Automation
The inspiration behind APU students’ award-winning project stemmed from the rising demand for automation in the food industry.
Recognising the complexities involved in food processing, packaging, and delivery, the team envisioned a multi-functional robotic system capable of seamlessly switching between tasks such as food handling, sorting, and packaging.
By integrating AI-driven automation, the students aimed to enhance efficiency, minimise human intervention, and revolutionise industry operations.
Mentorship and Support
Mentored by Dr Adeline Sneha John Chrisastum, Senior Lecturer at the School of Computing, APU, the team — comprising Ng Soon Teck (Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering), Ahmed Abdelkoudous Anteur (Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering with Honours), Ahamad Muhamad Musthafa (Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science (Cyber Security)), Mohammed Fadhi Puzhangarayillath Safeer (Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) (Artificial Intelligence)), and Irfan Muhammed (Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science with a specialism in Data Analytics) — received valuable guidance in artificial intelligence (AI) integration, design thinking, and prototyping.
Through hands-on support and expert insights, they were able to navigate challenges effectively and enhance their creative problem-solving skills.
On top of that, regular feedback sessions helped them refine their robot’s functionality and adaptability, which played a pivotal role in shaping the project’s innovative capabilities.
Shaping the future of Robotics and AI
Dr Adeline highlighted that this accolade positions APU as a frontrunner in cutting-edge research and industry-driven education, unlocking new opportunities for strategic collaborations, research grants, and technological advancements.
Additionally, she emphasised that this victory inspires APU students to push the boundaries of robotics, AI-driven automation, and intelligent systems.
“This achievement is more than a trophy; it showcases APU’s hands-on, interdisciplinary approach, equipping students to tackle real-world challenges and shape the future of robotics and automation.”
The next edition of the RoboRoarZ 2025 competition will be hosted in Malaysia and on the state-of-the-art APU campus in May 2025.