FCC's foreign-robot ban could affect Roomba-style vacuums

The FCC announced a ban on new foreign-made ‘advanced robotic devices,’ a category that could include Roomba-style vacuum robots, citing supply-chain vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks. The restriction would apply only to newly manufactured units and not retroactively to existing Roombas; most robot vacuums are made abroad. iRobot (Roomba’s maker) is now owned by Shenzhen Picea Robotics with facilities in China and Vietnam, while a U.S.-based option like Matic exists but at a higher price. The rule aims to shield the U.S. economy and critical infrastructure from foreign-made tech risks.