The United States has blocked new imports of foreign advanced robots and power inverters, citing national security and the protection of critical infrastructure.
On July 28, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it has added foreign advanced robots and power inverters to a list of equipment deemed to pose risks to national security.
Equipment on this list will not be eligible for new FCC certifications required for import and sale in the U.S. As a result, new foreign models will effectively be barred from entering the U.S. market.
The regulations cover mobile robots equipped with communication functions, including humanoid robots and quadruped robots.
Also included are inverters, which are devices that connect power generated from solar and wind sources, as well as batteries, to the power grid or data centers.
The FCC noted that foreign robots could collect information about their surroundings and users, potentially leading to surveillance or data breaches. There is also a risk that external entities could remotely control these robots to disrupt the operations of critical facilities.
Inverters can also be operated remotely via the internet, raising concerns that foreign companies or hackers could turn off the equipment or extract data, which could disrupt the operation of power grids and data centers.
This measure applies to products made abroad, regardless of their country of origin. However, robots may be exempt from regulation if they receive approval from the Department of Defense, and inverters may be exempt if approved by either the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security as not posing national security issues.
The new rules do not affect the import and sale of products that have already received FCC certification, nor do they impact the use of existing products purchased by consumers.
While the regulations technically apply to all foreign products, analysts suggest that the measures are primarily aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese-made robots and power inverters and encouraging the relocation of related production facilities to the U.S.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.