ASTM International ET CoE

The ASTM International Exo Technology Center of Excellence (ET CoE) is a standards development and research coordination body established in 2019 by ASTM International, the global standards organization headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The ET CoE was created specifically to address the urgent need for safety and reliability standards in the emerging exoskeleton and wearable robotics sector, which had advanced rapidly in both industrial and medical rehabilitation applications without an adequate standards framework.

The ET CoE operates under a multi-stakeholder consortium model, bringing together industry manufacturers, healthcare systems, academic researchers, government agencies (including the US Department of Defense and VA), and end-users — in total engaging ASTM's more than 30,000 members globally. Its website is www.etcoe.org and its contact email is [email protected].

The center's primary programmatic vehicle is the Research to Standards (R2S) framework: the ET CoE identifies high-priority knowledge gaps in exoskeleton safety, funds targeted research projects, and then translates findings directly into ASTM technical standards under committee F48 (Exoskeletons and Exosuits) and related committees. First-round R2S projects were announced in 2021 and addressed biomechanical safety, fall-risk assessment, and performance characterization of lower-limb exoskeletons.

Scope of technologies covered includes lower-limb and upper-limb exoskeletons for both medical rehabilitation (stroke, spinal cord injury) and industrial worker augmentation (fatigue reduction, ergonomics), as well as soft exosuits, autonomous/power-assisted wearables, and adjacent robotics and automation systems. The ET CoE also conducts knowledge-sharing events, student paper competitions, and advisory board meetings to grow the community.

The center publishes annual reports documenting R2S project progress, standards milestones, and community growth. As of its third annual report, the ET CoE had sponsored multiple active research projects and contributed to several ASTM standards under development for exoskeleton testing and performance. Its role is that of a neutral convener and standards accelerator, not a product manufacturer.

Relevance to RobotToday: The ET CoE is directly relevant to the exoskeleton and wearable robotics sector, a key category in the robotics supplier landscape, and serves as the principal international standards body for this product class.