Robots are having a moment with the federal government — and it’s not all positive.The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced a ban on foreign-made advanced mobile robots, a category that covers a ton of different types of robots.
And while you probably don’t have a walking, talking robot in your living room yet, you might have something else the ban touches: a robot vacuum.That everyday cleaning gadget falls squarely into the category now facing new restrictions, and it has nothing to do with battery recalls or overheating parts.
Here’s what you need to know.Relatedselectedselected5 cordless stick vacuums that empty themselves and keep your hands dirt-freeWhy are robot vacuums being banned? Late last week, the FCC added advanced robotic devices and foreign-made power inverters to its Covered List, the government’s running roster of tech that’s considered too risky to trust.The list flags communications equipment and services the FCC says pose “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.”What that means in practice is that anything on the list can’t get FCC equipment authorization.
And without that authorization, a product typically can’t be imported, marketed or sold in the United States.So why robots? According to the FCC’s National Security Determination, it comes down to what these devices can see and record.Robots are often packed with high-tech sensors that are constantly gathering data about the spaces they move through.The concern isn’t just what the sensors collect, though.
It’s also how the devices connect.Because robots typically operate on networks, the FCC notes they’re vulnerable to the same risks as any connected device: getting hacked, having data stolen or even losing control of the device itself.What is covered under the robot ban? While the ban seems mostly aimed at humanoid and animal-like robots, the “advanced roboti...