ASTM International Gives Roger Bostelman Award of Merit for Volunteer Work in Exoskeleton Standards Development

ASTM International today said it has awarded Dr. Roger Bostelman with its Award of Merit for his extraordinary productivity, outstanding contribution, and leadership in advancing the development of standards related to exoskeletons and exosuits. At the recent F48 Committee on Exoskeletons and Exosuits meetings in Denver, the standards organization presented Bostelman with his award and an ASTM Fellow Pin.

“There are very few ASTM Fellows,” noted Nora Nimmerichter, staff manager for the F48 Committee. “Roger, though, meets and exceeds what it means to be a Fellow. He represents all of values of the award.”

Dr. Bostelman is currently a visiting research scientist at the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). He is also part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program.

The new ASTM Fellow recently retired from his engineering project manager position at NIST’s Intelligent Systems Division after 41 years of service. While there, he managed the Intelligent Control of Mobility Systems Program, as well as other technology research and development projects at NIST and other organizations.

Bostelman received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the George Washington University (GWU) and an M.S. in technical management from the University of Maryland. Roger received his doctorate in computer science from the University of Burgundy, France.

“Roger exemplifies an ASTM Fellow through his tireless efforts to bring both the robotic and exoskeleton communities together to help the world work better through standards,” added Bill Billotte, director of ASTM’s Exo Center of Excellence.

Dr. Roger Bostelman receiving his ASTM Fellow pin. Source: ASTM International

Bostelman helped develop exoskeleton, robot standards

In his time volunteering at ASTM, Bostelman has held chair or sub-chair roles on the F48 Committee as well as the F45 Committee on Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and Automation. He has also volunteered on the E57 Committee on 3D Imaging Systems and F42 Committee on Additive Manufacturing Technologies.

He was the primary author and/or technical contact for over 25 work items or standards, noted the organization. Bostelman was instrumental in the identification of the global need for exoskeleton standards and played a key role in the establishment of the ASTM technical committee on exoskeletons and exosuits in 2017.

Bostelman also played an active role in mentoring F48 members who were new to standards development. He showed them how the process worked and made them comfortable in participating, said ASTM International.

It added that Bostelman was also the first subcommittee chair for ASTM F48.91 technical committee on exoskeleton and exosuit terminology, pioneering many of the new terms and definitions, contributing to the language of the new and emerging field.

Prior to the formal formation of Committee F48 in 2017, Bostelman led a task group of people from around the world to begin formulating the terminology. He compiled a list of more than 100 terms and concepts that ultimately became the starting work item in F48.91.

Bostelman is also active in other standards work. He serves as an expert on the ANSI/ITSDF B56.5 sub-committee for automated guided vehicle (AGV) safety, RIA 15.08 for industrial mobile robots, and ISO/TC 299 for the safety of personal care robots.

With seven patents to his name, Bostelman has more than 110 publications in books, journals, and conference proceedings, said ASTM International.