The four are bringing the prototype, dubbed the Environmental Monitoring System (EMS), to Paris next week to showcase at one of the world's largest student technology competitions.

The chasis of the robot comes from a smart vacuum cleaner that can detect obstacles and find its way around them, said team member Denver Lim, 21.

Powered by a solar panel, EMS can detect temperature, humidity and PSI readings. A small computer mounted on the chassis processes the data on the fly and feeds it wirelessly to a remote user.

'Instead of sending humans to detect toxic gases in a room, you can send in this robot,' said Mr Lim.

The team is one of three from Singapore which will compete in several categories in the Imagine Cup, a yearly event organised by Microsoft and endorsed by the United Nations.

The other two are from Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic.

Previous winners from the United States and Russia have gone on to start successful businesses.