Women in robotics: Why it’s more important than ever

• Young engineer Seah Qi Yan works at HTX’s Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise (CoE).
• She worked on autonomous police patrol robot GIBSON, applying design thinking and engaging stakeholders to ensure a safe, human-centred trial at Changi Airport.
• Qi Yan advocates empathy and constructive dialogue in male-dominated tech spaces, drawing on debate training to frame technical ideas persuasively.
• She also champions gender diversity in AI-driven robotics, highlighting how inclusive teams build safer, more accountable public safety technologies.

Finding your voice doesn’t necessarily entail being loud or bolshy – that’s a pithy truth Seah Qi Yan has come to appreciate as a young woman in STEM. “It’s not about forcing your perspectives on others, but bringing a clear, consistent point of view to the table,” said the engineer from HTX’s Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems (RAUS) Centre of Expertise (CoE).

Contributing to the development of autonomous airport police patrol robot GIBSON was a lesson in intentional participation for the 26-year-old. Drawing on design-thinking principles, she and her teammates proposed additional sensors and engineered robot behaviours to prevent misuse by curious bystanders at Changi Airport, where the robot is currently on trial. The idea was well-received, proving that meaningful discourse helps others understand how she approaches problems, thereby earning credibility in the room.

Working on the joint project between HTX’s RAUS CoE and the A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I²R) reinforced another lesson: technical expertise alone isn’t enough. The effort involved engaging multiple stakeholders, including Changi Airport Group and the Singapore Police Force, and thereby required building trust by addressing concerns and demonstrating that the system was safe, reliable and ready to be trialled.

“As engineers, it is critical to frame our technical perspectives to convince those who may not share the same background,” she asserted. In hindsight, participating in debate classes as a student has been instrumental in helping her achieve that.

“I was more introverted as a child, and public speaking built my self-esteem,” she recounted, before noting that seeing carefully constructed arguments counter someone’s point and persuade others was both fascinating and inspiring.

“It’s not just about the facts, but how you present them,” she stressed. This rings especially true for women in tech, who are often outnumbered by male counterparts with different communication styles. Hence, employing empathy and a measure of diplomacy has proven useful in her professional interactions.

“Instead of confronting an opposing view head-on, I tend to acknowledge this perspective before presenting an alternative,” she shared.

While her team is striving for a more balanced gender ratio, Qi Yan values the subtle sense of solidarity among her female peers. This is codified in simple gestures such as checking in on one another or even trading compliments on one another’s appearance.

“While seemingly surface-level, such interactions go a long way in making someone feel seen and supported,” she said.

Three years into her role at HTX, she’s proud to say that she can hold her own in a male-dominated space, even if emails occasionally address her as ‘Mr Qi Yan,’ on the assumption that the engineer on the other end must be a man.

Gendered norms have never diminished her passion for building things, from a motorised carousel constructed from ice-cream sticks that won her the first prize in a primary school toymaking contest, to a semi-autonomous soft robot prototype designed for search-and-rescue missions. The latter was the culmination of her final year project in university, for which she and her teammates received mentorship from HTX RAUS engineers.

The project ignited her interest in robotics, which allows her to translate conceptual ideas into tangible solutions. Not to mention, the experience also gave her a foothold at HTX. “The agency’s direct impact on people’s lives through science and technology aligned with my career aspirations, and the creative freedom I experienced during my final-year project ultimately convinced me that this was where I wanted to be,” she recounted.

That isn’t to say she hasn’t grappled with self-doubt or imposter syndrome, especially as a computer science graduate in robotics, a field in which she’s surrounded by engineers well-versed in hardware, electronics and mechanical systems. “I’m thankful for supportive superiors who have been patient with my questions and receptive to my ideas. They’ve never criticised me for expressing an imperfect opinion, which helped refine my work and strengthen my confidence.”

In a vote of confidence, her Deputy Director encouraged her to represent the team in fielding media queries at the press launch of GIBSON. Presenting the technology on a national stage was an empowering moment, particularly for a junior engineer.

“That is what an inclusive workplace means to me – one where credit is accorded where it is due,” she said. Qi Yan was also given the opportunity to present GIBSON at the HTX Convention 2025, which – while daunting in scale – was energising and another meaningful step for female representation in the field.

The latter, she contends, is more important than ever, with concerns surrounding ethics and accountability coming to the fore as robotics systems become increasingly driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“Greater gender diversity enriches perspectives and helps us design products that are inclusive, safe and unbiased,” she said.