1.1.1 The purpose of this test method is to quantitatively assess how much a back exoskeleton affects low back loading (musculoskeletal forces in the lumbar region of the back) and low back disorder (LBD) risk. LBDs refer to a broad range of medical conditions, injuries, or issues of the lumbar region of the back, including (but not limited to) low back pain, strains, sprains, and herniated discs.

1.1.2 This test method specifies a test setup, analysis procedure, and recording to standardize the ergonomic assessment of workers wearing back exoskeletons during lifting, lowering, or other jobs or tasks that involve bent forward postures.

1.1.3 This test method is intended to be executed by test technicians or test supervisors (for example, researchers, independent labs) who can measure biomechanical variables and perform biomechanical calculations up to and including computing peak biological lumbar moments (torques) and moments exerted by exoskeletons on users. It is vital that this test method be conducted by personnel having the knowledge and experience appropriate to perform this type of biomechanical analysis.

1.2.1 This test method is useful for test requestors (for example, safety professionals, exoskeleton manufacturers, exoskeleton implementers) to enable standardized assessment of back exoskeletons.

1.2.2 This test method can be used to evaluate a wide range of back exoskeletons, including those characterized as active (powered) exoskeletons, passive (non-powered, elastic) exoskeletons, rigid exoskeletons, soft exoskeletons, and mode-switching exoskeletons.

1.2.3 This test method is intended to evaluate jobs or tasks that involve lifting or lowering objects below the waist, for instance, tasks common in manual material handling work.

1.2.4 This test method is also intended to evaluate jobs or tasks that involve trunk bending (that is, sagittal plane flexion), such as stooping, squatting, or other bent forward postures.

1.2.5 This test method may be applied to jobs or tasks that are done with or without handheld objects (for example, boxes, shovels, tools).

1.2.6 This test method may be applied to pushing, pulling, or other non-lifting tasks if they are performed in a bent-forward posture (for example, stooping, squatting, lunging).

1.2.7 This test method may be applied to jobs or tasks that involve both bent-forward and upright postures.

1.2.8 This test method may be applied to jobs or tasks that involve symmetrical or asymmetrical bending or lifting, or a combination thereof.

1.2.9 This test method may be applied to evaluate exoskeleton effects on peak back biomechanical loading during a task using a discrete analysis, or to evaluate exoskeleton effects on time-varying back biomechanical loading throughout a job or task (that is, not just peak loading) using a continuous analysis.

1.2.10 This test method is NOT intended to evaluate overhead work or tasks (for example, pushing, pulling, lifting, sitting) that are performed solely in an upright posture.

1.2.11 This test method is NOT intended to evaluate changes in risk due primarily to trunk twisting or lateral trunk bending, or changes in risk to other areas of the body beyond the lower back.

1.2.12 This test method is NOT intended for the assessment of medical exoskeletons for people with spinal cord injury or other major physical disabilities or neuromotor disorders.