Consensus paper on testing and evaluation of military exoskeletons for the dismounted combatant

Abstract

Enhancing the capabilities of the dismounted combatant has been an enduring goal of international military research communities. Emerging developments in exoskeleton technology offers the potential to augment the dismounted combatant's capabilities. However, the ability to determine the value proposition of an exoskeleton in a military context is difficult due to the variety of methods and metrics used to evaluate previous devices. The aim of this paper was to present a standard framework for the evaluation and assessment of exoskeletons for use in the military. A structured and systematic methodology was developed from the end-user perspective and progresses from controlled laboratory conditions (Stage A), to simulated movements specific to the dismounted combatant (Stage B), and real-world military specific tasks (Stage C). A standard set of objective and subjective metrics were described to ensure a holistic assessment on the human response to wearing the exoskeleton and the device's mechanical performance during each stage. A standardised methodology will ensure further advancement of exoskeleton technology and support improved international collaboration across research and industry groups. In doing so, this better enables international military groups to evaluate a system's potential, with the hope of accelerating the maturity and ultimately the fielding of devices to augment the dismounted close combatant and small team capability.

Industrial exoskeletons: Need for intervention effectiveness research

“…Beginning with interest and funding by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the U.S. Department of Defense in the early 2000s, exoskeleton technology has been a focus of the United States and other nations . Military exoskeletons are intended to enhance the physical capabilities for dismounted combatants . Warfighter performance exoskeletons are evaluated on their ability to augment mobility during load carriage with loads up to 68 kg and speeds up to 13.2 km/h …”

Fundamental Concepts of Human Thermoregulation and Adaptation to Heat: A Review in the Context of Global Warming

“…There is already much progress made in promoting the mechanization of manual tasks to enhance productivity and in reducing the reliance on human labor [245,246]. Examples of these human-machine transitions include the use of tools, vehicles, and machines to perform manual work and to transport load across terrains in farming, outdoor labor, and military settings [247][248][249]. Futuristic technologies in robotics and alternative energy are likely to push the current boundaries for mechanization, which would significantly minimize human exposure to high metabolic heat production when undertaking manual tasks [250].…”

“…Futuristic technologies in robotics and alternative energy are likely to push the current boundaries for mechanization, which would significantly minimize human exposure to high metabolic heat production when undertaking manual tasks [250]. For example, there has been much progress in the development of exoskeletons and robots to assist humans in load carriage [248][249][250][251][252][253], which are applicable in military, agriculture, mining and construction industries. In a laboratory experiment that involved walking with a 23 kg load at 1.5 m/s on a treadmill, the use of battery-powered exoskeleton reduced metabolic cost by an average of 8% [252].…”

“…Another study that involved treadmill walking at 1.5 m/s with a 6.8 kg load, the use of a multi-joint soft exoskeleton lowered metabolic costs by 15% to 22%. The technology for exoskeleton is in its infancy, and there is ongoing effort to push the barrier of this technology, especially in the military setting [248]. Given time and technological advances in alternative energy, material science, and artificial intelligence, the technology for exoskeleton would likely advance further towards a wider scale of application in the occupational settings.…”

Design of a Lower-Limb Exoskeleton

“…Los primeros exoesqueletos se desarrollaron con finalidad militar [4]. Dichos exoesqueletos se usaban para fomentar la potencia humana, así como reducir el coste metabólico de lesiones, mejorar la resistencia al caminar y mejorar tanto la capacidad cognitiva como la capacidad física [5]. Se distinguen dos posibles clasificaciones de los exoesqueletos: según accionamiento (activos y pasivos) y según su estructura (duro y suave) [6].…”