ASTM F3523-21

Standard Test Method for Exoskeleton Use: Confined Space: Horizontal Movement

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 w...
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 fac...

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2021
• ICS: 13.180 - Ergonomics
• Technical Committee: F48 - Exoskeletons and Exosuits
• Drafting Committee: F48.03 - Task Performance and Environmental Considerations

Relations

• Refers: ASTM F3427-20 - Standard Practice for Documenting Environmental Conditions for Utilization with Exoskeleton Test Methods
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2020
• Refers: ASTM F3444/F3444M-20 - Standard Practice for Training Exoskeleton Users
• Effective Date: 01-Jun-2020
• Refers: ASTM F3443-20 - Standard Practice for Load Handling When Using an Exoskeleton
• Effective Date: 15-Jun-2020

Standards Content (Sample)

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.
Designation:F3523 −21
Standard Test Method for
1
Exoskeleton Use: Confined Space: Horizontal Movement
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3523; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope able ways to facilitate comparison of different exoskeleton
modelsortofacilitateapplicationofexoskeletoncapabilitiesto
1.1 Purpose:
intended tasks.
1.1.1 The purpose of this test method, as a part of a suite of
1.1.5 The test methods quantify elemental exoskeleton use
exoskeleton use test methods, is to quantitatively evaluate an
capabilities necessary for sector applications listed in 1.1.2 and
exoskeleton’s (see Terminology F3323) performance or safety
of usage, or both, by the exoskeleton user (see 1.4) in confined perhaps others. As such, users of this test method should use
spaces with horizontal user movement. either the entire suite or a subset based on their particular
1.1.2 Exoskeletons shall possess a certain set of allowable requirements. Users are also allowed to weight particular test
exoskeletonusermovementcapabilities,includinguser-motion methods or particular metrics within a test method differently
adaptability, to suit operations such as: industrial, military,
based on their specific requirements. The testing results should
response, medical, or recreational. Environments in these
collectively represent an exoskeleton’s overall safety or
typical sectors often pose constraints to exoskeleton user
performance, or both, as required for the task. These perfor-
movement to various degrees. Being able to pass-through or
mance data can be used: to guide procurement specifications,
maneuver, or both, effectively in confined spaces is essential
for acceptance testing, and for training to use exoskeletons
for exoskeleton deployment for a variety of tasks. This test
intended for specified applications.
methodspecifiesapparatusestostandardizethisconfinedspace
NOTE 1—Additional test methods within the suite are anticipated to be
task for testing exoskeleton user movement along the horizon-
developed to address additional exoskeleton capability requirements,
tal axis.
including newly identified requirements, and even for new application
1.1.3 Exoskeletons shall be able to handle many types of
domains.
task and terrain complexities. The required movement capa-
1.2 Performing Location—This test method shall be per-
bilities include, for example: walking, running, crawling,
formed in a testing laboratory or the field where the specified
climbing, traversing gaps, hurdles, stairs, slopes, various types
apparatus and environmental conditions are implemented.
of floor surfaces or terrains, and confined spaces. Standard test
methods are required to evaluate whether or not exoskeletons
1.3 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded
meet these requirements.
as the standard.The values given in parentheses are not precise
1.1.4 ASTM Subcommittee F48.03 develops and maintains
mathematical conversions to inch-pound units. They are close
internationalstandardsfortaskperformanceandenvironmental
approximate equivalents for the purpose of specifying material
considerations that include but are not limited to, standards for
dimensions or quantities that are readily available to avoid
safety, quality, and efficiency. This subcommittee aims to
excessive fabrication costs of test apparatuses while maintain-
develop standards for any exoskeleton application as exempli-
ing repeatability and reproducibility of the test method results.
fied as in 1.1.2. The F48.03 test suite consists of a set of test
These values given in parentheses are provided for information
methods for evaluating exoskeleton capability requirements.
only and are not considered standard.
This confined space: horizontal movement test method is a part
of the test suite. The apparatuses associated with the test
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
methods challenge specific exoskeleton capabilities in repeat-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
1
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F48 on
Exoskeletons and Exosuits and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F48.03
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
on Task P
...