Robot guide Olly stumbles on some directions, gets others right in first MRT trial
Standing 1.27m tall in a high-visibility vest, the robot is being tested at Little India station this week, with CNA finding results ranging from smooth exit directions to a mixed-up destination.
Commuters interact with Olly, the new LTA humanoid robot being trialled at Little India station on the Downtown Line, on Aug 31, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ili Mansor)
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SINGAPORE: Standing at 1.27m tall in a high-visibility vest, a humanoid robot named Olly is guiding commuters around Little India MRT station as part of a two-week trial by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Described by LTA as its "newest team member", Olly answers passengers' queries and can guide them to the right exits. The trial runs at the Downtown Line section of Little India station from Monday (Aug 31) to Sep 11, on weekdays from 10am to 12pm.
When this journalist tried interacting with the robot on Monday, commuters showed curiosity, with some bringing their children over for a closer look.
I began with the wake phrase "Hi Olly", which activates the voice assistant. Speaking to the diminutive figure felt like chatting with an artificial intelligence model – words had to be enunciated clearly and loudly, and the robot took several seconds to process them before responding in a male voice.
Olly successfully answered simple service-related questions, such as when the first and last trains would arrive. Harder questions yielded mixed results.
MIXED RESULTS ON DIRECTIONS
Asked for directions to Tekka Centre, the robot took a while to process the request. After several prompts, it responded with verbal directions but was unable to physically guide me to the nearest exit.
On a second attempt, Olly misheard "Tekka Centre" as "Teacher's Centre" and gave directions there instead.
Asking for directions to KK Women's and Children's Hospital produced better results.
“Hi, please proceed to exit F and follow the signs to KK Hospital,” Olly said, before turning to face the exit. “Would you want me to take you there? Say yes or no.”
When I said yes, Olly walked gingerly to the fare gates closest to exit F. Unlike the humanoid robots that sprinted at blistering speeds during the World Humanoid Robot Games in China earlier this month, Olly moved step by step at a leisurely pace.
A small crowd gathered and walked alongside the robot, curious about the station's latest addition.
"Please stand clear of the robot, thank you," Olly said when someone blocked its path.
“After passing through the fare gate, turn left first, then take the escalator then pass through the F entrance to reach your destination,” it said upon reaching the fare gate.
The robot is developed by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics. Olly will be supervised throughout the two-week deployment by LTA staff to ensure it remains in good working order.
LTA said in a social media post on Aug 20 that the trial will explore how "AI-enabled technologies can support our public transport operations and make your commuting experience better".
The authority told CNA the robot is being trialled during off-peak hours to "see how it performs in a live station, and how the public reacts to it".
"There is no immediate plan to deploy it," it said, adding that Little India station was chosen because of its proximity to LTA headquarters.
INTERACTIONS WITH COMMUTERS
Commuters, especially children, were intrigued by the new addition, with many stopping to take photos and videos.
Construction manager Liu Hai Rui was walking past with his six-year-old daughter when she became curious about the robot. She approached cautiously, taking several attempts to ask if she could take a photo before Olly obliged.
Mr Liu said his daughter was tentative about approaching the robot at first, having seen humanoid robots perform martial arts moves on television.
Retiree Steve Walker, 69, made a special trip to Little India station with his wife after seeing news of the robot. A visitor from the United States, Mr Walker had previously worked in robotics and had a particular interest in how Olly functioned.
He spoke to the robot, which successfully guided him to the escalator towards the North East Line.
His only complaint was that it struggled to filter out background noise in the busy station. "A directional microphone towards the person speaking would be better," he said.
Mr Walker said he was impressed to see "in the flesh" humanoid robots he had previously only seen on the news.
"To be able to see a robot balance and walk in real time, with no wobbliness, I've been really impressed with that," he said.
