Methodologies for Evaluating the Effects of Physical Augmentation Technologies on Soldier Performance
Abstract
The loads that US Army Soldiers carry can decrease their effectiveness by reducing their mobility and agility and increasing their fatigue and risk of injury. A potential solution to these problems is to develop and implement physical augmentation systems such as exoskeletons and exosuits to assist with load carriage and other Soldier tasks. An integral part of developing physical augmentation systems involves evaluating their performance at various stages of the development process. The US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) and the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) have experience evaluating more than 20 physical augmentation systems, from prototypes to commercially available systems. This report discusses the methods and metrics used by researchers at NSRDEC and ARL to evaluate physical augmentation systems designed for military applications. It covers terminology, considerations for protocol development, and performance metrics. The report is intended to be a guide for planning evaluations and measuring performance in a consistent manner. It is meant to promote the development of innovative, safe, and highly effective physical augmentation systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1057611
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Tweedell
- Angela Boynton
- Courtney A. Haynes
- Edward R. Hennessy
- Gregory B. Kanagaki
- Harrison P. Crowell
- Henry J. Girolamo
- Jennifer M. Neugebauer
- Joon-Hyuk Park
- K. B. Mitchell
- Meghan P. O’Donovan
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory