GET2EXCEL CoE is a Global Exo Technology Research, Benchmarking, and Standardization Center of Excellence coordinating world-wide efforts with clusters in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, North America, and South and Central America. It is led by Dr. José L. Pons, a founder of wearable robotics, international leader, and coordinator of European and international efforts.
The objectives are to advocate and advance international standards, regulations, and policies. It will be a central repository of knowledge, research, and applied activities in the Exo Technology arena. We envision a global hub for technology training and education. As a not-for-profit organization, it will be a neutral forum to discuss, debate, and build standards, regulation, and policy. It will build industry consortia to fund applied research to create best-practices, develop standards, advance the field, and answer the long-term questions related to best practices and use. It will create a virtuous cycle where the ASTM F48 community and users develop the needs and gap areas which will drive the applied research to develop test methods and standards.
The organization has 20+ companies, 65+ universities, 130+ users, and 8+ testing facilities collaborating world-wide. In the North America cluster, Dr. Pons will lead the GET2EXCEL CoE and also direct the Healthcare/Consumer Exo Technology Hub at the world-class Shirley Ryan AbilityLab with Dr. Arun Jayaraman. Dr. Thomas Sugar will direct the Industrial Exo Technology hub at Arizona State University in partnership with the opening of a WearTech facility in Phoenix. Drs. Pons, Jayaraman and Sugar have been leading efforts in this area for over twenty years running annual conferences such as WeRob and WearRAcon. The GET2EXCEL will create roadmaps, identify key priories, educate the society to create public awareness, and coordinate the worldwide clusters to help drive the billion-dollar industry growing at over 40% per year.