Intel receives FCC waiver to continue using foreign-made robots in US chip fabs for one year

Intel obtained an FCC order on October 22 allowing it to continue using certain foreign-made automated guided vehicles in its US semiconductor manufacturing facilities for one year. The FCC ban primarily targets new mobile robots, such as humanoid robots and robot vacuums, but the rules restrict major modifications to previously authorized devices. These robots, typically from Japanese companies like Murata Machinery and Daifuku Co., assist in moving materials within warehouses and factory floors, with specific models detailed in a confidential appendix.