Two departments: Launch pilot programs for the application of elderly care robots. In home settings, deploy no less than 200 households and no less than 200 sets of robots.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have issued a notice on launching pilot work for collaborative research and development (R&D) and scenario-based application of intelligent elderly care service robots, with the pilot period spanning from 2025 to 2027. The notice states that, targeting three types of elderly care service settings—home-based, community-based, and institutional—and focusing on application scenarios such as care for the disabled and cognitively impaired, emotional companionship, health promotion, smart environments, and daily living assistance, the pilot work will be guided by the pain points and needs of users in real-world scenarios. It will address the shortcomings of existing products or solutions through collaborative R&D efforts, gradually enhancing product safety, reliability, usability, and service capabilities. Scenario-based application validation will also be conducted.Pilot applications will be carried out in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions. Product iterations and upgrades will be completed during the application validation process, with the validation period lasting no less than six months. Home-based elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no fewer than 200 households, with no fewer than 200 units deployed. Community-based and institutional elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no fewer than 20 communities or 20 elderly care institutions, with no fewer than 20 units deployed.

Notice from the General Offices of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Launching Pilot Work for Collaborative R&D and Scenario-Based Application of Intelligent Elderly Care Service Robots

To the competent departments of industry and information technology and the departments (bureaus) of civil affairs of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

In order to thoroughly implement the national strategy of actively responding to population aging, and to implement the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Deepening the Reform and Development of Elderly Care Services," the "2025 Government Work Report," the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Robot Industry," and the "Implementation Plan for the 'Robot+' Application Action," and to accelerate the promotion of robot-enabled smart elderly care development, the MIIT and the Ministry of Civil Affairs are jointly launching pilot work for collaborative R&D and scenario-based application of intelligent elderly care service robots, with the pilot period spanning from 2025 to 2027. Relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:

I. General Requirements

Adhering to the principles of "government guidance, demand-driven, phased implementation, and continuous iteration," the focus will be on improving the quality of life for the elderly, alleviating the pressure on families for elderly care, addressing the shortage of manpower in institutional and community-based elderly care services, and promoting the improvement of the elderly care service system. A batch of collaborative R&D and application pilot projects for intelligent elderly care service robots will be implemented in stages to facilitate collaborative R&D efforts between researchers and users, promote the application validation and iterative upgrading of products in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions, and form a batch of robot products capable of meeting the multi-level and diversified needs of elderly care services. Efforts will be made to continuously establish and improve standards, norms, and evaluation systems, and to accelerate the promotion of robot-enabled smart elderly care services and the silver economy.

II. Pilot Content

(1) Launch paired research and development. Focusing on three types of elderly care service settings—home, community, and institutional care—and application scenarios such as care for the disabled and those with dementia, emotional companionship, health promotion, smart environments, and daily life assistance, we will conduct paired research and development targeting the shortcomings of existing products or solutions, guided by the pain points in the actual scenarios of users, to gradually enhance the safety, reliability, usability, and service capabilities of products.

(2) Conduct scenario application validation. Implement pilot applications in settings such as households, communities, and elderly care institutions, and complete product iteration and upgrades during the application validation process, with the application validation cycle lasting no less than 6 months. Home-based elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no less than 200 households, with no less than 200 units deployed; community and institutional elderly care service robot products must complete application validation in no less than 20 communities or 20 elderly care institutions, with no less than 20 units deployed.

(3) Improve standards and evaluation systems. Encourage product development units and application pilot units to jointly conduct research on standards for intelligent elderly care service robots, focusing on scenario requirements and application safety to develop standards and specifications for intelligent elderly care service robot products and services, and focusing on safety, reliability, age-appropriateness, and cost-effectiveness to develop evaluation standards for intelligent elderly care service robot products. Guide the industry to closely align with the physiological and psychological characteristics and service needs of the elderly in the design and development of intelligent elderly care service robot products, enhancing their age-appropriateness, intelligence, and safety and reliability levels.

III. Application Requirements

The paired research and development and scenario application pilot for intelligent elderly care service robots are voluntarily applied for in the form of a consortium. The applying units shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Registered within the territory of the People's Republic of China, engaged in production, operation, and elderly care services in relevant fields, and being independent legal entities with no adverse credit records, no major or above safety, environmental protection, or other accidents, and no illegal or regulatory violations or socially impactful incidents within the past 3 years. Robot enterprises, elderly care auxiliary equipment enterprises, universities, research institutes, and user units such as third-party elderly care service institutions are encouraged to form consortia to jointly apply.

(2) As the leading unit, the applying unit may only apply for 1 pilot project; as a participating unit, it may apply for no more than 3 pilot projects.

(3) The applying unit shall possess products or solutions for relevant scenarios, capable of focusing on addressing the pain points and challenges in the field of elderly care services, and have the capability for mass production and large-scale promotion of robots and elderly care auxiliary equipment. The applying unit shall have a close cooperation mechanism, a comprehensive talent team, and a strong technological foundation.

(4) The applicant shall ensure that product design fully considers risks such as functional failure, electrical faults, mechanical structural defects, human-machine interaction flaws, battery safety, and data privacy security. Testing shall be completed in accordance with mandatory detection and certification requirements for relevant product categories, and corresponding certificates shall be obtained. During the pilot application process, the applicant must possess comprehensive risk prevention, hazard identification, and emergency response capabilities covering pre-event, in-process, and post-event phases. Operational safety personnel shall be equipped, regular training and assessments shall be conducted, safety incident causes and hazard elimination countermeasures shall be promptly reported, and bimonthly pilot reports shall be compiled during the application verification period for archival purposes.

(5) The applicant shall commit to completing designated paired research and scenario application pilot tasks within specified timelines and cooperate with on-site surveys and subsequent promotional activities.

(6) The project's expected key technical indicators shall reach internationally advanced or domestically leading levels without intellectual property disputes.

IV. Organization and Implementation

(1) Project Application

Applicants shall prepare materials by referring to the "Application Form for Paired Research and Scenario Application Pilot Project of Smart Elderly Care Service Robots (Writing Outline)" (hereinafter referred to as the Application Form, Attachment 2). Applicants are responsible for the authenticity of application content and shall ensure materials do not involve state secrets or commercial confidentiality.

(2) Organization and Recommendation

1. Recommending authorities include industry and information technology regulatory departments and civil affairs departments (bureaus) of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Recommending authorities shall organize regional recommendation work for paired research and scenario application pilot projects, while central state-owned enterprises shall apply through their respective provincial (autonomous regional/municipal) recommending authorities. Recommendations shall follow government guidance and voluntary application principles.

2. Recommending authorities shall conduct strict reviews based on practical work. Through expert evaluation and comparative surveys, application materials shall be verified, and the "Summary Recommendation Form for Paired Research and Scenario Application Pilot Project of Smart Elderly Care Service Robots" (hereinafter referred to as the Recommendation Summary Form, Attachment 3) shall be completed in priority order. Before July 10, 2025, sealed hard copies of the Application Form and Recommendation Summary Form (duplicate sets) shall be submitted to the First Department of Equipment Industry, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (No. 13, West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing). Scanned electronic versions (PDF) shall be simultaneously submitted to the First Department of Equipment Industry, MIIT (email: zhaofengjie@miit.gov.cn) and the Department of Elderly Care Services, Ministry of Civil Affairs (email: cujinyanglaofuwu@163.com).

(3) Project Selection

The First Department of Equipment Industry, MIIT and the Department of Elderly Care Services, Ministry of Civil Affairs shall jointly establish an expert panel to conduct comprehensive evaluation and selection of pilot project applications, determining the final list of paired research and scenario application pilot projects.

(IV) Launch pilot projects

Pilot units are required to complete the task of paired problem-solving and pilot application of scenarios within two years from the date of confirmation on the shortlist. The Equipment Industry Department I of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Department of Elderly Care Services of the Ministry of Civil Affairs will organize experts to evaluate the implementation of pilot projects through material review, technical assessment, and on-site spot checks after the expiration of the pilot tasks.

(V) Achievements Promotion and Policy Support

1. Launch publicity and promotion. The achievements of pilot projects will be showcased and promoted through the websites of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as well as the "Robot+" Public Service Platform for Supply and Demand Matching and Application Promotion, the National Elderly Care Service Information Platform, and other channels. They will also be highlighted and promoted in subsequent supply and demand matching activities.

2. Strengthen policy guarantees. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Civil Affairs will coordinate the use of relevant policies and resources to support typical pilot projects that can address critical needs, possess advanced technological levels, and feature innovative models and promotion experience. Recommending units are encouraged to increase support for recommended projects and applicant units in terms of policies, funding, and resource allocation based on actual conditions. If serious safety hazards are identified during the pilot and are not promptly rectified and eliminated, or if safety accidents, serious violations of law, or socially adverse events occur, the pilot qualifications of the relevant entities will be terminated.

General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs

May 26, 2025