Exoskeletons are nothing new and far from science fiction; in fact, researchers began developing exoskeletons for military use as early as the 1960s. For the last decade, engineers have been exploring exoskeletons designed to augment human strength and other abilities for military, medical and industrial purposes.

Work performed on construction sites and in factories is physically demanding. Over time, manual labor takes a toll on the human body, no matter one’s form while doing a task. So, it’s understandable that enterprises would be willing to spend a lot of money to augment human abilities with wearable robotics.

He's working with BMW, Boeing and others to introduce standards and raising the bar in the exoskeleton market: Meet Dr. William G. Billotte, Physical Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Vice Chairman of the ASTM F48 Exoskeleton and Exosuit committee.