Yesterday, global standards developer ASTM International announced its first round of funding for four Research to Standards projects that will promote thedevelopment of needed standards in exo technologies. This investment, totaling $129,000, will support ASTM International’s Exo Technology Center of Excellence (ET CoE) efforts to advance new standards and revise existing standards.
 
“We are excited to work with these renowned universities and to leverage their expertise towards standardization in exo technologies,” said Bill Billotte, Ph.D., ASTM International’s director of global exotechnology programs. “We look forward to their work and the impact they will have on future exostandardization. 
 
The initial round of projects approved by the center of excellence target safety as it relates to falls, cognitive fit, transitions, and mobility. The projects are described below.
 
Vanderbilt University’s Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology will develop a new exoskeleton safety standard for assessing user fall-risk due to stumbling.
 
Texas Tech University’s Department of Psychological Sciences will develop test methods and measures for evaluating cognitive fit of exoskeletons.
 
The University of Michigan’s Center for Ergonomics will develop a test method for lower extremityexoskeleton locomotion transitions. 
 
The New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell will develop test methods for mobility on variable terrains.
 
The ET CoE also recently launched an exoskeleton producer survey with the intent to support the development of relevant standards and enhance the growth of the exoskeleton industry. In addition, input and feedback from exoskeleton producers will help the ET CoE prioritize and plan the allocation of time, effort, and resources. Interested exoskeleton producers can complete the survey here. 
 
For more on the Exo Technology Center of Excellence, visit www.etcoe.org  
 
The ASTM International ET CoE was formed in 2019 to pursue safe and reliable exo technologies for all of humanity. The center brings together a diverse group of users, suppliers, researchers, and stakeholders across academia, government, healthcare, and other industries and builds on the growth of ASTM’s exoskeletons and exosuits committee (F48). For more information on the committee, watch this video. 
 
Media Inquiries: Dan Bergels, tel +1.610.832.9602; dbergels@astm.org  

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