Scrum within hardware development insights of the application of scrum for the development of a passive exoskeleton

Agile approaches have matured for software projects while hardware projects continue to embrace traditional development approaches. Many innovation projects fail due to late clarification of technical feasibility. Especially high-tech projects require innovative solutions to meet the restrictions of cost and schedule while still delivering high performance critical systems. Since Scrum does not have any software-specific content, it can also be used in other development areas such as hardware development. However, there are currently only isolated scientific reports that show the successful use of Scrum in hardware development. In order to investigate the potential of Scrum in hardware development, the agile approach is applied for the development of an exoskeleton at a large corporate within automotive industry (OEM). The experiences made after each iteration are outlined in detail focusing on the characteristics of hardware development and the corporate context.