ASTM International’s new committee on exoskeletons and exosuits (F48) has begun to outline the some of the work it will undertake as part of its mission to provide technical standards for the design and manufacture of exoskeletons being developed for use in manufacturing, military, health, and other applications.
One of the group’s first new standards, “New Terminology for Exoskeletons and Exosuits” (WK60882), will support terminology that defines vocabulary, fosters a common understanding of key terms, and supports future technical standards. Other subcommittees and task groups will focus on:
- design and manufacturing issues such as energy storage systems, passive versus active systems, and more;
- human factors and ergonomics issues including usability, safety, training, anthropometric variables, and more;
- task performance and environmental considerations broken down by application (consumer, public safety personnel, industrial, medical, and military)
- maintenance and disposal issues, including decontamination; and,
- security and information technology, including data privacy.
The F48 committee formed last year as a result of the burgeoning industry’s need to address safety, quality, performance, ergonomics, and other issues. The group’s vision is to create standards that will apply to systems and components throughout the life cycle of exoskeletons and exosuits.
For additional information on ASTM document WK6082, “New Terminology for Exoskeletons and Exosuits” , click here.
