White paper

How to Evaluate a Research Robot Amid the FCC Ban

Ten questions every lab should answer before it buys — updated for the new regulatory landscape.

The market for research robots has exploded alongside Physical AI — the vision-language-action models, like NVIDIA Isaac GR00T and Physical Intelligence's π0.5, that learn manipulation from demonstration data. But the federal ban on foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots — effective July 28, 2026 — has fundamentally changed the procurement landscape. With an estimated 85% of the world's humanoid robots coming from China, buyers at universities, government labs, and corporate R&D departments need a new evaluation framework.

This vendor-neutral paper distills the ten questions that matter most before you buy — use it as a checklist against any platform you're considering, including ours. It covers compliance, security, performance, and the practical realities of importing and supporting research robots under the new rules.

The ten questions inside

• Can it physically do what you need to train?
• Is it LeRobot compatible?
• Does it come with a computer — and the right software?
• Is the GPU strong enough to run a policy in inference?
• Does the vendor provide support — or even training?
• If it ships from overseas, what does a return really cost?
• Is the robot mobile?
• What hardware do you actually need?
• What are the teleoperation options?
• Should the robot work around people, or in a cage?