SINGAPORE - Mainboard-listed Tiong Seng Holdings has inked a five-year collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to set up a construction robotics lab on the school's campus.

The partners will work on applied research and development (R&D) in the field of industrial-grade robotics for the construction industry.

The Tiong Seng-NP Construction Robotics Lab aims to combine the construction firm's technological expertise and market know-how with the polytechnic's strong robotics R&D arm to develop useful robotic solutions for the built environment sector, said Tiong Seng in a media statement on Thursday (Nov 15).

Potential applications conceptualised at this early stage include artificial intelligence-enabled robotic inspectors for construction sites.

The robotic inspectors will help quality checkers and supervisors achieve better accuracy and higher quality output, and facilitate consistent inspection procedures across all construction projects.

Since 2014, Ngee Ann Poly has developed successful robotic applications for various sectors including the healthcare and education industries.

Supported by the polytechnic's R&D capabilities and established track record, Tiong Seng said it aims to leverage this platform to groom young talent in the robotics field, enhance competency and generate new waves of innovation and breakthroughs for the built environment sector.

It said this is Singapore's first jointly established construction robotics lab by a private sector enterprise and an institute of higher learning.

Pek Lian Guan, CEO of Tiong Seng Holdings, said: "We believe this collaboration has the potential to yield long-term synergistic benefits for both parties and the sector as a whole.

"Over the longer term, these efforts will also complement the government's overarching vision of streamlining construction processes while creating new and better jobs in the sector. Beyond capability development, this joint lab serves as an avenue for Tiong Seng to give back to the community by grooming budding talent crucial for the advancement of our industry in the coming decades."

Shares of Tiong Seng were unchanged at $0.205 as at 10am.