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They were personal exoskeletons Everywhere in Consumer Electronics Show 2026. There were ambitious designs from new entrants WiRobotics, Sumbu, Ascentiz and Dephy, while Skip Mo/Go returned to promote its long-awaited tech pants. Dnsys (pronounced Deen-sis), a relatively well-established name, had some interesting new launches, Hypershell came back with its premium model, and we got Ascentiz Running across the show floor.
that Exoskeleton It is a relatively new category of wearable devices designed to enhance, support, or assist human movement, strength, posture, or even physical activity. The main piece loops around your waist like a belt, and from there, a pair of hinged motorized splints extend down over your hips to attach to each thigh, providing some motorized assistance for normal movements like walking, running, or squatting.
Previously used only in medical rehabilitation and factory settings, exoskeletons are now sold as major consumer devices. It’s a rapidly emerging market as well Reports indicate From more than half a billion dollars in 2025 to more than $2 billion by 2030.
As of today, only Hypershell and Dnsys (the two Chinese companies founded in 2021) have consumer external shells you can purchase. As promised, when we first previewed the pre-launch prototype of Dnsys X1 (5/10, WIRED review)As fast as we can, we’ll race with them. So, with the launch Hypershell X UltraThat day has finally arrived.
Through a series of “sporting” activities in London lea valley athletics center, We went head to head with $1,999 Hypershell X Ultra And $1899 Dnsys X1 Carbon Pro. Both are groundbreaking products, both are commercially available, and both cause people to stop and stare, even though that could have just been our amazing sporting style.
Leg up
Dnsys and Hypershell spend a lot of marketing budget promoting the physical benefits of their exoskeletons. For example, Hypershell claims that its device can lead to a 42 percent reduction in heart rate, a 20 percent reduction in exertion when walking, and a 63 percent increase in hip flexor endurance. Dnsys suggests that wearing its devices will “reduce energy demand by up to 50 percent.”
As we found out with testing Hypershell ProConfirming or disproving these claims is difficult at best, especially when technology (and humans) don’t always agree. Despite tracking heart rate, pace, and distance with a smartwatch, some of our efforts indicated we were using it more Energy with and without the exoskeleton.
But there’s no denying that exoskeletons work. They put a mechanical spring in your step and push you positively. The amount of tangible benefit you get from assistance will depend largely on you as an individual. Chris Haslam, one of the WIRED product reviewers included in this test, has a 76-year-old father who has one titanium hip. Chris’s father was able to use the exoskeleton to climb a hill without taking a breath halfway up. However, Chris – a healthy, active 48-year-old – found it more of a hindrance than a help.
Having two different external architectures allowed us to compare performance and discuss the effort involved. Yes, some of the speedruns were a bit ridiculous, but the more time we spent wearing each device, the clearer picture we got of what the exoskeleton was actually doing and how it felt while doing it.
Tests
Slow and steady: We completed a baseline unassisted and without an exoskeleton for 400 meters before repeating the same tests in each exoskeleton. The speed and distance were kept the same, so that the difference in effort could be clearly seen through the lower heart rate.