Significance and Use
5.1 Exoskeletons are being used in the industrial, military, response, medical, and recreational sectors to enhance safety and effectiveness of the user to perform tasks. Confined spaces exist in many of these areas, as shown in Fig. 1, requiring people to fit through small spaces and this is potentially even more difficult while wearing an exoskeleton. For example, in the automobile manufacturing industry, workers wearing exoskeletons are required to fit into a confined automobile door opening while carrying tools to attach components to the car body. In emergency response operations, exoskeletons are used to enhance the safety and effectiveness of emergency responders operating in hazardous and confined space environments for search and rescue of victims. The testing results of exoskeletons shall describe, in a statistically significant way, how reliably the exoskeleton is able to support tasks within the specified types of environments, confinements, and terrains, and thus provide sufficiently high levels of confidence to determine the applicability of the exoskeleton.
5.2 This test method addresses exoskeleton safety and performance requirements expressed by emergency responders, military, manufacturing, or other organizations requesting this test. The safety and performance data captured within this test method are indicative of the test exoskeleton’s and the exoskeleton user’s (see 9.6.6) capabilities. The safety and performance data from these tests are essential to guiding the procurement and deployment decisions of exoskeleton purchasers and users.
5.3 A standard artifact is specified to be easily fabricated. This facilitates evaluation by exoskeleton developers, manufacturers, and users, and to provide replication of confined space: horizontal movement tests across the exoskeleton sectors. The artifact can also be used to support training (see Practice F3444/F3444M) and to establish proficiency of exoskeleton users, as well as provide manufacturers with information about the minimum confined space that is feasible for their exoskeleton(s) with user.
5.4 Although the test method was developed for the sectors listed in 5.1, it may be applicable to other operational domains.
Scope
1.1 Purpose:
1.1.1 The purpose of this test method, as a part of a suite of exoskeleton use test methods, is to quantitatively evaluate an exoskeleton’s (see Terminology F3323) performance or safety of usage, or both, by the exoskeleton user (see 1.4) in confined spaces with horizontal user movement.
1.1.2 Exoskeletons shall possess a certain set of allowable exoskeleton user movement capabilities, including user-motion adaptability, to suit operations such as: industrial, military, response, medical, or recreational. Environments in these typical sectors often pose constraints to exoskeleton user movement to various degrees. Being able to pass-through or maneuver, or both, effectively in confined spaces is essential for exoskeleton deployment for a variety of tasks. This test method specifies apparatuses to standardize this confined space task for testing exoskeleton user movement along the horizontal axis.
1.1.3 Exoskeletons shall be able to handle many types of task and terrain complexities. The required movement capabilities include, for example: walking, running, crawling, climbing, traversing gaps, hurdles, stairs, slopes, various types of floor surfaces or terrains, and confined spaces. Standard test methods are required to evaluate whether or not exoskeletons meet these requirements.
1.1.4 ASTM Subcommittee F48.03 develops and maintains international standards for task performance and environmental considerations that include but are not limited to, standards for safety, quality, and efficiency. This subcommittee aims to develop standards for any exoskeleton application as exemplified as in 1.1.2. The F48.03 test suite consists of a set of test methods for evaluating exoskeleton capability requirements. This confined space: horizontal movement test method is a part of the test suite. The apparatuses associated with the test methods challenge specific exoskeleton capabilities in repeatable ways to facilitate comparison of different exoskeleton models or to facilitate application of exoskeleton capabilities to intended tasks.
1.1.5 The test methods quantify elemental exoskeleton use capabilities necessary for sector applications listed in 1.1.2 and perhaps others. As such, users of this test method should use either the entire suite or a subset based on their particular requirements. Users are also allowed to weight particular test methods or particular metrics within a test method differently based on their specific requirements. The testing results should collectively represent an exoskeleton’s overall safety or performance, or both, as required for the task. These performance data can be used: to guide procurement specifications, for acceptance testing, and for training to use exoskeletons intended for specified applications.
Note 1: Additional test methods within the suite are anticipated to be developed to address additional exoskeleton capability requirements, including newly identified requirements, and even for new application domains.
1.2 Performing Location—This test method shall be performed in a testing laboratory or the field where the specified apparatus and environmental conditions are implemented.
1.3 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are not precise mathematical conversions to inch-pound units. They are close approximate equivalents for the purpose of specifying material dimensions or quantities that are readily available to avoid excessive fabrication costs of test apparatuses while maintaining repeatability and reproducibility of the test method results. These values given in parentheses are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
