The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has announced publication of ISO 21423:2026, an international standard covering communication and interoperability among industrial mobile robots (IMRs), regardless of vendor or model. Developed by ISO Technical Committee 299, the standard specifies how IMRs, IMR fleet managers and other equipment exchange information and request actions, including sharing location, speed, direction, condition, tasking and availability.
Key takeaways
- For end users, the standard is expected to reduce cases of robots interfering with each other's paths or path planning, improving robot availability and system efficiency.
- Scope extends beyond robots to machines tended by robots, enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools, and industrial building systems such as lifts, automated doors and alarms; people using mobile devices can share similar information so their work is coordinated alongside the robots.
- A3 says a common protocol should increase market competition and support innovation, and because it is an ISO standard it can be adopted worldwide.
- ISO 21423 is the first non-safety robot standard A3 has helped produce.
Carole Franklin, A3's director of standards development, robotics, said companies want to choose robots that fit their applications and have them work together on the same floor, and that many leading industrial users have requested an interoperability standard for years. She noted the standard can help companies expand automation with equipment from different vendors and make better use of robots they already have. ISO 21423:2026 is available through the A3 online store for $373, or $320 for A3 members.
Source: Robotics & Automation News · Published 2026-11-02T19:12:05 · “New ISO standard enables mobile robots from different vendors to work together”