The results are in for the first ever Exo Games, hosted in August by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in collaboration with ASTM International’s Center of Excellence in Exo Technology (ET CoE).

The inaugural event saw five student teams from the UK, United States, Belgium and Brazil compete in designing an exoskeleton, testing it against standards and measures decided by ASTM International. Judging criteria for the physical challenges were based off the respective ASTM standards and included balance, repetitions, safety, and adherence to the Exo Games specifications.

Students used over a dozen standards developed by ASTM’s exoskeletons and exosuits committee (F48) to guide their designs, covering topics like wear, ergonomics, environmental conditions, and load handling.

The overall competition saw the University of Central Lancashire take first place, followed by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in second and Clemson University in third.

Several other special awards were also given to the following teams:

• Teams’ Choice Award - Federal University of Technology - Parana and Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná 
• Poster Competition Award - University of Central Lancashire 
• Presentation Competition Award - Clemson University 
• Design Competition Award - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

William Billotte, Director of Global Exo Technology Programs at ASTM, was one of the event’s judges, and described how it helps solidify students’ working knowledge of the field.

“We’re very passionate about STEM and through this event we’re connecting innovation and research with standards to help the students understand how they all work together,” says Billotte. “The Exo Games is a way to bring together the passion, the ideas and inspire people to do better.”

Established in 2019, ASTM’s Center of Excellence in Exo Technology (ET CoE) focuses on accelerating exo standards through research, education, workforce development, training certifications, and connecting global exo communities.

For more on the ET CoE, visit www.etcoe.org.

ASTM welcomes participation from student members, and has various student chapters, including one at the University of Central Lancashire. Student membership includes access to literature, events, and opportunities for competition and publishing. For more information about student membership, visit: https://www.astm.org/get-involved/students-and-professors/for-students/memstudent22.html.

Media Inquiries: Gavin O’Reilly, tel +1.610.832.9618; goreilly@astm.org

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