About the Organisers

Hear from the organisers on the reasons of why you should participate at the inaugural SIRE, be it as a delegate, exhibitor or speaker.

Co-Organisers’ Messages

Leck Chet Lam

Managing Director
Experia Events

Investments on robotics and automation has reached a new high and will continue to soar. The International Data Corporation (IDC) reported that global spending on robotics is set to grow at a CAGR of 17%, from more than US$71 billion in 2015 to US$135.4 billion in 2019.

Asia Pacific (APAC) is the largest spender in 2015 at US$46.8 billion, accounting for more than 65% of the total spending on robotics. This is followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at US$14.6 billion and the Americas at US$9.7 billion. APAC’s rapid growth is expected to continue, as IDC projects its robotics industry to double over the next 3 years, making it the fastest growing region.

The Singapore government has anticipated the importance of this sector and pledged $450 million to the National Robotics Programme to spearhead the development and adoption of robotics over the next three years. Given these developments and the industry outlook, there really is no better time to launch the inaugural Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE).

Themed Forging the Future of Robotics Solutions, we are expecting 2,500 trade visitors and 50 exhibitors from local and international companies to participate and attend the exhibition and conferences at SIRE.

Attendees will have immediate access to the latest robotics and automation innovations through the expo and product demonstration components. They will also be able to connect with public and private sectors, venture capitalists and academia to discover new opportunities and co-create new solutions. SIRE has secured the support of IE Singapore, strategic partner keen to define the Industry 4.0 movement and robotics standard in Singapore, and driving the conference component of SIRE; ITE College East will be organising a robotics challenge for ITEs and local secondary schools; and Business France, who supports the international development of the French economy, will lead a delegation of 20 key French companies to seek partnership opportunities with local firms.

This indicates the keen interest in robotics from all walks of life, from schools to tertiary education, from start-ups to government agencies, and from international partners who wish to work with and find synergies with companies in Singapore.

Experia Events is honoured to work with the Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA) to organise this event. A platform like SIRE enables us to be at the forefront of the robotics and automation industry in Singapore and beyond, helping to put like-minded people together to co-create new solutions.




 
Oliver

Oliver Tian

President
Singapore Industrial Automation Association

Traditionally, robots sit in the factory setting within a finite space and with fixed rules, as well as a safe distance from the operators. With the convergence of key technologies, and as Gartner puts it: the "NEXUS of Forces" has come together, we will find the adoption of robots trending towards applications in other domains outside the industrial sector such as Retail, F&B, Cleaning Services and Healthcare, amongst others. Semi-intelligence can be automated to enable the robots with a greater sense of reasonableness, and help the machines to associate better in the working relationship with people. With the current advancements in sensor technology, visual analytics and machine learning, the robot is emerging as a viable "working mate" in both the traditional settings and new applications across industries.

Business owners, especially SMEs, must take the first step to understand the technologies available, which can help their businesses in staying competitive. With the tightening of the labour market, business owners can either look towards utilising automation tools or a change in business model to counter the effect of labour shortage. The investment in robotics & automation can bring attractive savings and returns in the mid- to long-run.

Do we need a "biological inspiration" to build such intelligent robots? Probably not: Intelligent robots shall be built by means of evolution - step by step, through efforts of adaptation and assimilation. The degree of autonomy when considering the deployment of robots shall be a function of user definition and technology readiness. Nonetheless, these intelligent machines shall live side by side with us.

SIAA drives Automation, IoT, and Robotics (AIR), with robotics as one of the key pillars in our charter. The association has embarked on this robotic journey to bring automation to a different level and we believe the assimilation of man and machine functions can be a potent force to be reckon with. Join us in this journey to Learn, See and Adopt robotic technologies.

Oliver


SIAA Robotics Co-Chair’s Message

SC Cheong

Co-chairman, Organising Committee, Singapore International Robo Expo
Singapore Industrial Automation Association

2016 is an excellent time to address some key presumptions that has been dominating the robotics ecosystem from previous years. Several factors driving the direction of robotic development have gone through fundamental changes. These factors include both the quality and the quantity of talent involved in Robotic R&D; the new applications of robotic technology (industrial, service and consumer robots); the form and shape of various robot derivations; the robotic product architecture, the connectivity of the robots; as well as the evolution of the possible business models. The funding of $450million from the Singapore government for the adoption of robotics within the next 3 years is another possible game changer. This has generated huge interest from many parties including various government agencies. It has also attracted more funds and talent into the robotic ecosystem in Singapore and the region.

In anticipation of the strong demand, SIAA has stepped up on efforts to provide leadership in the robotic ecosystem in Singapore and the region. SIAA, together with our partner, Experia Events, have ventured further to drive the robotic ecosystem with the first ever Singapore International Robo Expo (SIRE).

SIRE 2016 will be centered on these themes – Adoption, Collaboration and Funding:

  • Adoption of innovations to enhance knowledge, costing, return of investment, technology readiness, expectations, capability of system integrators, as well as risk management.
  • Collaborations with potential partners through our expertise and industry network.
  • Funding opportunities by tapping on our knowledge base and industry network for up and coming projects.

In keeping with these themes, SIRE 2016 aims to push the limits of innovation in the robotics and automation sphere through insights and lessons garnered from participants. Attendees will also get the opportunity to engage with the various stakeholders in the ecosystem, from regulators to key industry players and academia, as they embark on their journey.

SIRE 2016 wants to engage you and your partners to work together to build a promising and vibrant robotic ecosystem for ourselves and the next generation.