How to enter,
and how it's judged.
Three categories. Eight tracks. Five stages. Read this page top-to-bottom and you'll know exactly what to submit, when, and how it's evaluated.
The three categories
Find your bracket.
A team is 1–4 members; you can enter as an individual or a group. A maximum of two presenters speak at the live final. Note: each individual or team may register in up to two different categories.
Secondary & High School
Eligibility. Malaysian or international citizens currently enrolled in secondary school (Form 1 to Form 6) or equivalent.
Team. Individual or group of 2–4. A teacher / mentor / lecturer / parent / coach is required, but does not count as a team member.
Language. Bahasa Malaysia or English. Supporting documents in other languages must include a brief English translation.
- Early Bird Local
- RM 80
- Normal Local
- RM 120
- Early Bird Intl.
- USD 30
- Normal Intl.
- USD 50
Pre-U / TVET / Diploma / University / Researcher
Eligibility. Pre-university (STPM, Matriculation, Foundation), TVET, community college, polytechnic, diploma, bachelor's degree, master's, PhD or researchers at higher-education institutions.
Team. 1–4 members per team. Not open to full-time industry staff (unless currently enrolled as full-time students). Up to two presenters at the live final.
Language. English (primary). Submissions in other languages require an English translation.
- Early Bird Local
- RM 200
- Normal Local
- RM 300
- Early Bird Intl.
- USD 70
- Normal Intl.
- USD 100
Professional / Industry / Startup / SME
Eligibility. Professional designers, registered companies, industry players, startups, SMEs and solution providers.
Team. 1–4 members per team. Up to two presenters at the live final. Working prototypes or production-ready proposals are welcome.
Language. English.
- Early Bird Local
- RM 350
- Normal Local
- RM 450
- Early Bird Intl.
- USD 150
- Normal Intl.
- USD 200
10% discount for teams from co-host countries · 10% discount for institutions submitting three or more teams · Category-change requests after the Early Bird deadline incur an admin fee of RM 50 / USD 15.
Eight design tracks
Pick a track. Make it speak.
Every entry connects to one of these eight sub-themes. Pick the one that best describes the problem you're solving — and make sure your concept brief explains why.
Product Design & Consumer Innovation
Consumer products, assistive tools, wearables, household innovation, smart tools. Things people buy, hold, wear, use.
Furniture, Workspace & Interior Ergonomics
Furniture, workstations, desks, chairs, studios, labs, learning spaces and offices. Where people sit, stand, work.
Mobility, Transport & Public Space Design
Vehicle seating, terminals, stations, wayfinding, accessibility and public spaces. How people move and meet.
Industrial, Manufacturing & Logistics Ergonomics
Work improvement, manual handling, line design, workstation upgrades, industry interventions. Where things get made.
Digital Ergonomics, UX & Smart Systems
Apps, dashboards, interfaces, AI-assisted systems, UX and digital work tools. Software designed for people, not just users.
Healthcare, Rehabilitation & Assistive Design
Healthcare design, assistive devices, elderly care, rehabilitation and clinical workflow. Care systems built around the patient.
Education, Learning Environment & Youth Design
Learning spaces, schools, campuses, student furniture and educational products. The spaces and tools young people grow in.
Inclusive, Sustainable & Community Ergonomics
Inclusive design, OKU, the elderly, communities, sustainable materials and low-cost innovation. Design that gets to everyone.
The Five Stages
Concept brief to live final.
A progressive structure with deliverables that grow with each round — from a short brief, to a video, to a digital poster, to a live pitch and prototype demonstration.
Call for Participation & Entry Submission
Submit a 300–500 word concept brief plus 3 visuals / sketches / preliminary designs. Pick category and track.
Notification, Payment & LoA
Selected entries receive notification. Pay your fee within 5 days; the secretariat issues a Letter of Acceptance.
Quarter Final Screening
Submit a 3–4 minute video explaining design, rationale, problem solved, and ergonomic / human-factors value.
Semi Final · Online Review
Submit full abstract or design statement, digital poster, and 3–5 minute pitch video. Reviewed in webinar with the jury.
Grand Final · Live
Live presentation, prototype / mock-up demo, jury Q&A, exhibition showcase, selected pitching to industry & investors.
Judging Criteria
What jurors look for.
Across stages, evaluation is consistent: is the idea original, is the human-factors thinking real, can it actually be built, is it well-presented, and does it matter to the people it's for?
Indicative criteria for K1; weights may vary slightly by category. Full rubrics are issued with the Letter of Acceptance.
General Rules
Read these once. Then enter.
A short version of the General Rules & Regulations that apply to every category. The full document is sent with the Letter of Acceptance.
- 01Adherence to theme
- Each entry must demonstrate a clear connection to the main theme — "Designing Human-Centred Futures: Ergonomics for Products, Mobility, Workplaces and Everyday Living" — and to one of the eight sub-themes (Tracks A–H).
- 02Originality
- All materials (concept brief, visuals, video, prototype) must be the original work of the team. Plagiarism in any form will result in immediate disqualification without refund of fees.
- 03Multiple entries
- Each individual or team may register for more than one category — up to two different categories. A separate concept brief is required for each entry.
- 04Notification & acceptance
- Each successful applicant first receives a Notification Letter confirming they passed the preliminary screening. Once payment is made within 5 days, a Letter of Acceptance is issued and the team is officially confirmed.
- 05Category change fee
- Requests to change category are only accepted before the Early Bird deadline. After that, an administrative fee of RM 50 / USD 15 applies.
- 06Non-compliant submissions
- The organiser reserves the right to reject any entry that fails to comply with the guidelines (format, video length, number of visuals, deadlines) at any stage.
- 07Jury decisions
- All decisions by the jury panel are final and no appeals will be entertained, except in the case of proven procedural errors.
- 08Use of name & work
- By participating, teams grant the organisers (HFEM, URIIS, UPM) and co-host partners permission to use names, images, videos, and design outputs for promotional, documentation and publication purposes — without royalty payment.
- 09Cancellation & refund
- Cancellation of entry is only accepted in writing 30 days before the Grand Final. Fee refunds are not given unless the event is fully cancelled by the organiser.