A smart robot is a highly intelligent mechanical device capable of semi-autonomous or fully autonomous operation based on pre-set programs and its own automatic control system, without the need for continuous direct human intervention. In industrial production settings, it can accurately complete product assembly according to pre-programmed instructions; in service settings, it can navigate autonomously to provide guidance and delivery services to customers.
(1) Industrial Robots
Primarily used in industrial manufacturing environments, performing complex and repetitive tasks. In automotive manufacturing, for example, they handle welding, painting, and component assembly processes. With high precision and high cycle rates, they significantly improve production efficiency and product consistency while reducing labor costs and worker fatigue.
(2) Agricultural Smart Robots
Serving crop planting, irrigation, fertilization, weeding, pest and disease monitoring and control, and other stages. Taking smart irrigation robots as an example, they can precisely control irrigation volume and timing based on feedback from soil moisture sensors, improving water resource efficiency while meeting crop water requirements.
(3) Exploration Robots
Designed for unknown environments such as space exploration, deep-sea exploration, and polar expeditions. Represented by Mars rovers, they can travel autonomously across the surface of distant planets, investigate geological structures, climatic conditions, and signs of life, and transmit large volumes of data and imagery back to Earth.
(4) Service Robots
Widely used in everyday scenarios: guidance robots in hospitals provide wayfinding for patients; delivery robots in hotels transport items to guest rooms; robotic vacuum cleaners in homes clean floors autonomously, significantly reducing the burden of household chores.
(1) System Complexity
A smart robot is a typical cross-disciplinary system integrating mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, computer science, and control theory. Its subsystems and components must work in close coordination to ensure proper operation of the whole machine: mechanical structure design must balance motion flexibility and load capacity; the electronic control system must achieve precise control of various sensors and actuators; and software algorithms handle perception data processing, path planning, and decision-making.
(2) Diversity of Testing Content
The complexity of the system determines the breadth and depth of testing required:
Purpose: To demonstrate that the product conforms to the safety standards of Japan's Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (DENAN Law). Administered by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Act sets out detailed requirements on electrical safety, mechanical safety, and thermal protection to prevent electric shock, fire, and other incidents that could harm users.
Mark Categories:
Scope: Smart robot units and their electronic components, power adapters, lithium-ion battery packs, and similar items must obtain PSE certification if they fall under the electrical appliance and material catalogue. It is worth noting that after obtaining PSE certification, the Japanese importer must also complete METI filing locally based on the PSE report before the product can be legally imported and sold.
Purpose: Pursuant to Japan's Radio Act, to ensure that the robot's wireless transmission functions conform to Japanese RF technical requirements. The regulatory authority is the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), with the main standard framework being MIC Notice No. 88.
Key Elements: Assessment covers frequency error, transmission power (EIRP), occupied bandwidth, spurious emissions, antenna gain, and other parameters. Devices intended for close-proximity use may additionally require SAR testing, and 5 GHz/6 GHz devices need DFS/TPC evaluation. After successful testing, a Registered Certification Body (RCB) recognized by MIC — such as TELEC, JQA, or UL Japan — reviews the results, issues the certificate, and assigns a unique GITEKI number.
Scope: Any smart robot with active transmission functions such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or 2G/3G/4G/5G must obtain this certification prior to export to Japan, and must permanently display the GITEKI mark and certification number on the product body or a non-removable label; otherwise it may not be sold on the market.
Purpose: Pursuant to the Telecommunications Business Act, to ensure that terminal equipment connecting to Japan's public telecommunications networks meets Japanese technical requirements and operates stably and compliantly within Japanese networks.
Scope: Smart robots that access public telecommunications networks via cellular networks (4G/5G) require JATE certification. Special note: if the product also incorporates wireless transmission functionality, JATE and GITEKI certifications must be obtained separately — both are mandatory.
Purpose: A voluntary product safety mark administered by the Steering Council for Safety Certification of Electrical and Electronic Appliances and Parts of Japan (SCEA), demonstrating that the product has passed safety assessment by a third-party body and, where necessary, meets EMC requirements. Although not legally mandatory, it enjoys very high recognition in the Japanese market, and obtaining the S-Mark helps enhance product credibility and market competitiveness.
Scope: Applicable to all electrical and electronic products; it is especially recommended for non-specified electrical appliances and materials, as well as for complete robots or components not covered by the PSE catalogue. Certificates are currently issued by four bodies — JET, JQA, UL Japan, and TÜV Rheinland Japan — with corresponding marks such as S-JET Mark and S-JQA Mark. Certification requires safety testing and a factory inspection, with validity maintained through annual audits.
Administered by the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI), this is a voluntary EMC scheme, but in practice it is regarded as a necessary threshold for selling IT equipment in Japan. Manufacturers must first register as VCCI members, then obtain an EMI test report issued by a VCCI-registered laboratory. Equipment intended for household environments must meet Class B limits, while industrial/commercial equipment meets Class A limits.
Since Japan has not established a dedicated certification category for "robots," whether PSE, GITEKI, and other certifications apply must be determined on a case-by-case, model-by-model basis. Companies are advised to proceed along the following path:
