The exoskeleton industry is being held back by a lack of standards, according to Forbes contributor Borislav Marinov.
A lack of guidelines, common terminology, and testing methodology leave it to users to develop their own best practices and evaluation procedures. Exoskeleton technology can augment construction workers physical ability and potentially reduce injuries.
The dearth of standards prevents the gathering of test results, which, in turn, has hindered the development of industrial exoskeleton applications, Marinov wrote. Although organizations such as ASTM International and the International Organization for Standards have released some standards, they fall short of the comprehensive rules that are needed to give users a deep understanding of exoskeleton use.
Even so, Marinov points out that the market for exoskeletons for industrial use has gone from next to nothing to nearly 10,000 commercially purchased units over the past 10 years.
Related Stories
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Incubating innovation through R&D and product development, Jonatan Schumacher, Thornton Tomasetti
Thornton Tomasetti’s Jonatan Schumacher presents the firm’s business model for developing, incubating, and delivering cutting-edge tools and solutions for the firm, and the greater AEC market.
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: The future of computational design, Ben Juckes, Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign
Yazdani’s Ben Juckes discusses the firm’s tech-centric culture, where scripting has become an every-project occurrence and each designer regularly works with computational tools as part of their basic toolset.
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: A case for Big Data in construction, Graham Cranston, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Graham Cranston shares SGH’s efforts to take hold of its project data using mathematical optimization techniques and information-rich interactive visual graphics.
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Scaling change in a changing industry, Chris Mayer, Suffolk Construction
Suffolk’s CIO Chris Mayer talks about the firm’s framework for vetting and implementing new technologies and processes.
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Gaming tech in construction, Lucas Richmond, Gilbane
Learn why Gilbane’s Lucas Richmond is looking outside the AEC industry to build his rockstar gaming and media team.
| Jun 12, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: The world's smartest buildings, Derik Eckhardt, Miller Hull Partnership
Discover what architect Derik Eckhardt learned during his worldwide tour of the globe’s smartest buildings, from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam to Stuttgart to Dubai.
| Jun 12, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Preparing for the AI revolution, Alan Robles, Gensler
Gensler’s Alan Robles shares how the AEC Giant firm is preparing its project teams and clients for the coming artificial intelligence movement.
| May 24, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Applying machine learning to building design, Daniel Davis, WeWork
Daniel Davis offers a glimpse into the world at WeWork, and how his team is rethinking workplace design with the help of machine learning tools.
| May 24, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Learning from Silicon Valley - Using SaaS to automate AEC, Sean Parham, Aditazz
Sean Parham shares how Aditazz is shaking up the traditional design and construction approaches by applying lessons from the tech world.
| May 24, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: The data-driven future for AEC, Nathan Miller, Proving Ground
In this 15-minute talk at BD+C’s Accelerate Live! (May 11, 2017, Chicago), Nathan Miller presents his vision of a data-driven future for the business of design.
