Exoskeletons are currently being tested for development and adoption in various roles, like helping assembly line workers with repetitive movements, baggage handlers lift luggage, and helping disabled people become more mobile. At the Applied Collegiate Exoskeleton (ACE) Competition, the first of it's kind, teams created their exoskeletons for use by rescue workers.
The five teams that made their way into the Bob and Betty Beyster Building on North Campus in Ann Arbor, MI. included University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Nebraska Omaha, Colorado School of Mines, and Iowa State University. Out of the five teams, three were able to put forward a functioning exoskeleton to compete.
The exoskeletons were put through tests similar to those for entry-level firefighters. After a design review, where safety components and how long it took to suit up were assessed, the exoskeletons were fitted with a 75 pounds of weights and timed while moving through an obstacle course: on balance beam, up and down stairs, across uneven terrain, under a low-clearance beam, and dragging a 165-pound mannequin for 100 feet.
Judges for the event included Jessy Grizzle, Director of Michigan Robotics and professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Deanna Gates, Director of the Rehabilitation Biomechanics Laboratory and assistant professor of kinesiology, and Mike Kennedy, Ann Arbor Fire Department’s Fire Chief.
Colorado School of Mines won the overall competition, edging out the U-M host team by less than a tenth of a point on a 650-point scale. MSU took third place.