1. Scope

Keywords

Rationale

The new Exoskeleton Structural Integrity Specification (F-WK-EXO-STRUCT) is critically needed because the rapid proliferation of exoskeletons in industrial, military, and medical sectors has outpaced the development of specific standards, leaving a gap that general robotics and personal care robot standards fail to fill, particularly regarding the unique, severe "human-in-the-loop" risks like user injury, loss of function in critical missions, and explosive release of stored energy from structural failure. The standard is designed to be used as a standardized framework for verifying structural integrity and a prerequisite for all performance testing, ultimately supporting compliance with major global regulations like the EU Machinery Regulation and US OSHA requirements. Its primary users are Manufacturers, who will design to clear, quantifiable safety and durability targets; Test Laboratories, which will execute repeatable verification tests; and Procurement Agencies and Employers, who will use it to objectively compare models and ensure deployed devices meet minimum safety thresholds.