SMART Collaborative Research Stories: Mens, Manus and Machina (M3S) Bringing Together Institutions to Shape AI With A Human Touch

The Mens, Manus and Machina (M3S) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) is breaking new ground in how humans and machines work together. Inspired by MIT’s motto of mens et manus (“mind and hand”), M3S focuses on addressing real social and institutional challenges brought on by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. It brings together experts in robotics, human-centred computing, behavioural science and more to develop practical AI solutions that improve people’s lives and enhance productivity. 

In this series, we delve into Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology’s (SMART) collaborations with other research and academic institutions in Singapore, shedding light on their experiences and learnings and the importance of collaboration in research. This feature showcases the collaboration at SMART’s M3S IRG with the Singapore Management University (SMU) as a key collaborator in the IRG.

One notable research project stemming from this collaboration focuses on the fact that in today’s fast-moving digital world, the most effective AI systems are those that don’t just make decisions, but understand the people behind them. This principle lies at the heart of the SMART M3S IRG’s ongoing work, which unites researchers from renowned institutions to develop scalable and inclusive solutions with tangible real-world impact.

This collaboration sees SMU bring its strength in behavioural science, human-centred computing and digital governance to M3S’ research; complementing the IRG’s strength in technical depth in AI, decision science, and optimisation. SMART, SMU and other collaborators at M3S have a goal of building systems that are not only operating efficiently but also behaving responsibly in complex, real-world environments, where human behaviour, institutional goals, and changing contexts all coincide.

Transforming Airport Operations for the Better

One of the goals of the collaboration is transforming airport operations and resource management into systems that are more efficient, resilient, and responsive to evolving needs.

“Through the M3S collaboration framework, we’re working together to address critical challenges such as optimising gate assignments and improving the flexibility of flight scheduling,” said Dr Yubin Liu, Postdoctoral Associate at M3S. “Our approach is combining AI with decision science to develop optimisation tools that integrate seamlessly with existing airport systems, supporting both real-time decisions and long-term planning.”

The optimised gate assignment framework aims to improve operational efficiency, reduce delays, and enhance the passenger experience. Travellers can benefit from smoother connections, shorter walking distances, and more responsive service touchpoints — all managed through AI-enhanced planning. This initiative stems from a shared vision at M3S amongst its partners to utilise data-driven, intelligent approaches that make airport resource allocation more adaptive and future-ready.

Dr Yubin Liu, Postdoctoral Associate at M3S

“With a data-driven, intelligent decision-support system in place, we’re envisioning a future where airport resources — from gates and stands to manpower and facilities — can be dynamically coordinated in real time to meet ever-changing operational demands,” added Dr Liu.

In the long term, this system aims to lay the foundation for a more resilient airport ecosystem that scales with growing traffic, responds flexibly to disruptions, and integrates with technologies such as autonomous vehicles, smart terminals, and predictive maintenance systems.

Power of Cross-organisational and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Cross-organisational and interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for advancing research and addressing complex, real-world challenges. In the context of M3S, this collaboration is bringing together leading institutions like MIT and SMU. The integration of global research excellence with local insights is creating valuable opportunities for implementation and impact.

For SMU,  M3S brings global talent and cutting-edge research closer to its campus, aligning local strategic goals with broader innovations.

“M3S provides a unique interdisciplinary platform that fosters high-impact research, international collaboration, and industry engagement,” said Prof Hai Wang, M3S Principal Investigator and Associate Professor at SMU. “It enables close and sustained engagement with world-class researchers from MIT, integrating diverse disciplinary perspectives — including transportation science, systems engineering, economics, and organisational behaviour — which significantly enrich the research scope and rigour.”

Prof Hai Wang, Associate Professor, School of Computing and Information Systems at Singapore Management University (SMU)

Emphasising the practical relevance of the partnership, Dr Liu said, “The collaboration is significantly enriching our research by providing real-world contexts where theoretical models and AI-driven decision tools are being tested, validated, and refined. Working with our partners  allows us to engage directly with complex, high-stakes operational environments that offer valuable data, constraints, and user feedback.”

Such partnerships help uncover new research questions inspired by actual system needs and user behaviours, guiding future directions in human-AI collaboration, adaptive optimisation, and responsible automation.

Prof Wang added that the interdisciplinary nature of the partnership — spanning engineering, computer science, operations research, social science, and policy — enables the development of holistic, human-centric solutions. “For instance, Team T7’s work on human worker and resource allocation combines technical modelling and optimisation with a deep understanding of behavioural dynamics, organisational processes, and social equity — insights that cannot be fully realised within disciplinary silos,” Prof Wang explained. 

Further describing the collaborative dynamics, Dr Liu said the association with SMU is built on close and continuous engagement across multiple levels as part of the broader M3S effort. “We maintain regular meetings — both virtual and in-person — for project coordination, ideation, and research progress updates. These meetings bring together interdisciplinary teams, combining technical insights from M3S with expertise from SMU in human-centred computing, behavioural science, and digital governance.”

“We’re co-designing experiments and prototyping systems, with SMU contributing significantly to the human-AI interaction aspects, including user behaviour analysis and inference. Problem-solving is collaborative and iterative, with shared ownership of challenges and solutions,” Dr Liu added.

The partnership is being further strengthened by joint workshops, student research exchanges, and coordinated dissemination efforts, ensuring the research remains relevant, actionable, and impactful.

Such collaboration facilitates access to diverse data sources, application domains, and experimental platforms, enriching the research process and enhancing the relevance and applicability of findings. In Singapore’s research ecosystem, where digital transformation is a national priority, these collaborative approaches are vital for producing scalable and actionable scientific outcomes.

Ultimately, the shared vision for the M3S collaboration is shaping a future where AI enhances — not replaces — human capabilities, and where innovation is deployed equitably across society. By continuing this partnership in the long run, SMART and its partners at M3S are aiming to make that future a reality.