A
ACE 2026
Registration Open · May 2026

Applied
Collegiate
Exoskeleton

May 2026
·
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
·Hosted by MacExo
Register InterestLearn more
3
Years running
7+
University teams
4
Competition events
May 2026
Next competition
About the competition

What is ACE?

The Applied Collegiate Exoskeleton Competition challenges undergraduate teams to design and build functional lower-limb exoskeletons evaluated against the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) — the standardized assessment used for entry-level firefighter certification.

Teams are judged on versatility, reliability, cost efficiency, and weight efficiency through four distinct events spanning design review to live athletic testing.

Learn more
Versatility
Multi-task physical testing
Reliability
Consistent under competition conditions
Cost efficiency
Practical engineering constraints
Weight efficiency
Maximize assist-to-weight ratio
ACE 2024

2024 Results

Full recap
SynapsÉTS
ETS Montréal
QBMET
Queen's University
BioGéniUS
Univ. de Sherbrooke
Hosting ACE 2026

McMaster Exoskeleton

A student-led team of 50+ members across mechanical, electrical, software, and business disciplines — building lower-limb exoskeletons that enhance human strength and mobility at McMaster University.

Register interestVisit MacExo

Support the next generation

Partner with ACE 2026 to connect with top undergraduate engineering talent across North America and advance the field of wearable robotics.

Become a sponsor Email us