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Platform Systems Director Tan Teck Chuan (3rd from left) and RAUS CoE Director Daniel Teo (4th from left) welcome Roslan Bin Yahya (left), Romi Bin Ahmad (2nd from left), Ong Ka Hing (5th from left), and Yap Kian Wee (6th from left) at the airport following their arrival. (Photo: HTX)
HTX’s efforts to force multiply the Home Team went beyond the shores of Singapore once again when four of its officers were deployed to earthquake disaster zones in Myanmar to assist with the search and rescue operations and humanitarian work of the Operation Lionheart contingent.
The four Xponents and the contingent returned to Singapore on 8 April 2025 and were received by a large crowd comprising Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim, as well as colleagues, relatives and even members of the Myanmar community in Singapore.
The four Xponents who were deployed on this latest life-saving mission are: Roslan Bin Yahya and Romi Bin Ahmad from Platform Systems Sustainment Centre (SC) and Ong Ka Hing and Yap Kian Wee from Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise (CoE).
This was HTX’s second deployment under Operation Lionheart following its mission to Türkiye in February 2023.
The four Xponents and the contingent returned to Singapore on 8 April 2025 and were received by a large crowd comprising Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Minister of State for Home Affairs Faishal Ibrahim, as well as colleagues, relatives and even members of the Myanmar community in Singapore.
The four Xponents who were deployed on this latest life-saving mission are: Roslan Bin Yahya and Romi Bin Ahmad from Platform Systems Sustainment Centre (SC) and Ong Ka Hing and Yap Kian Wee from Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise (CoE).
This was HTX’s second deployment under Operation Lionheart following its mission to Türkiye in February 2023.
RAUS engineers Ka Hing (right) and Kian Wee at a rescue site in Myanmar. (Photo: SCDF)
The Operation Lionheart contingent was deployed to Myanmar on 29 March 2025, a day after the country suffered a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake which killed over 3,400 people.
While Roslan and Romi were tasked with providing technical support to their peers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in Myanmar, the duo from RAUS CoE and their partners from Klass Engineering managed the 10 cyborg cockroaches they brought over to support search and rescue operations.
While Roslan and Romi were tasked with providing technical support to their peers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in Myanmar, the duo from RAUS CoE and their partners from Klass Engineering managed the 10 cyborg cockroaches they brought over to support search and rescue operations.
With the ability to crawl through tight spaces, these cyborg cockroaches, augmented with infrared cameras and sensors, helped the Singaporean rescuers search for signs of life at some of the worst-hit areas in Naypyitaw.
The RAUS team went on a total of five deployments, during which they visited 12 sites.
This was the first ever field deployment of the cyborg cockroaches, and the first time in the world such robots have been used in a humanitarian operation.
The RAUS team went on a total of five deployments, during which they visited 12 sites.
This was the first ever field deployment of the cyborg cockroaches, and the first time in the world such robots have been used in a humanitarian operation.
One of the cyborg cockroaches in action in Myanmar. (Photo: SCDF)
Despite the challenging conditions, which included multiple disruptions to power and water supply, Ka Hing found the experience to be a positive one on multiple fronts.
“Besides getting to contribute to efforts to save lives, this first deployment of the cyborg cockroaches also allowed us to gather invaluable data that would help us further improve the technology,” he said.
“This has been a most meaningful experience because I got to see the impact of our tech innovation transcend national boundaries and help others in another country. It was also an honour to work alongside our SCDF colleagues in saving lives.”
“Besides getting to contribute to efforts to save lives, this first deployment of the cyborg cockroaches also allowed us to gather invaluable data that would help us further improve the technology,” he said.
“This has been a most meaningful experience because I got to see the impact of our tech innovation transcend national boundaries and help others in another country. It was also an honour to work alongside our SCDF colleagues in saving lives.”
