THE CRUNCH
The Matic robot vacuum has become the first robovac added to the FCC's ban waiver list, according to The Verge. On October 2nd, the FCC added the original Matic, model 4MA0001, and its charging dock, model 4DK0008, to the list, which allows the agency to approve these radio products for import, marketing and sale in the United States.
There is a twist, though: the Matic does not actually need a waiver. Its radios were already approved years ago, and the FCC's bans on foreign drones, robots and routers only stop future products from being imported into the United States, not existing ones. The Verge, which names the Matic as its favourite robot vacuum and robo-mop, notes the waiver is therefore something of a formality.