Safety standardization of wearable robots—The need for testing methods

Wearable Robots, i.e. exoskeletons, are currently entering the market. The specific procedure to allow devices on the market, concerning their product safety depends on the application domain they are sold for (medical—industrial—personal care). Safety Standards, such as produced by ISO and IEC are important tools to demonstrate safety for specific devices, but at this moment there are only very few specific standards available and no specific testing methods in place for Wearable Robots. Standardized testing methods that do not require human subject testing can make the road to the market easier and better affordable. Such test methods need to be based on validated experimental data, and may require the development and definition of specific targeted test benches or equipment.