Innovating Biomedical Devices
Student Competition & Showcase 2026

The Innovating Biomedical Devices (BMDs) Competition & Showcase invites students from Three Unite! partner universities — KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo), Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Wroclaw Tech) — to propose innovative solutions addressing challenges in the design, development, and application of Biomedical Devices.

The competition includes two stages, first-stage selection and an in-person showcase at Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo) on 4th September 2026. Participants will gain hands-on experience, interact with experts, and compete for recognition and awards.

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Innovating Biomedical Devices (BMDs)

Possible biomedical applications include (but are not limited to):

• Wearables (exoskeletons, smart prosthetics, biosensing patches, glucose monitors, ECG wearables, orthotic devices)
• Implantable Medical Devices (pacemakers, VADs, TAHs, neurostimulators, cochlear implants)
• Bioelectronic Medicine, Organ-on-Chip, and Regenerative Medicine solutions

Possible technological domains include (but are not limited to):

• Biosensors and Bio-signal Processing
• Advanced Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering
• Micro-robotics / in vivo biomedical robotics
• Wireless Power Transfer (e.g., inductive coupling)
• Energy Harvesting (heat, motion, bioelectricity, etc.)
• Microfluidic & Lab-on-Chip Systems
• Smart Drug Delivery Systems
• AI-driven Diagnostic Tools
• Neural Interfaces and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)

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• Open to Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Politecnico di Torino (PoliTo), Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Wroclaw Tech).
• Students may participate individually, or in teams of up to 3 members. (teams with additional members may be considered in special cases; you may register first and then email the contact at your university as shown below. Travel support remains subject to funding availability and the total number of participants from KTH and Wroclaw Tech.).
• Interdisciplinary and cross-university teams are highly encouraged.

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• Register via the official registration link below by the deadline: 6 May 2026
  📝 Registration Form →
• Note: You can register as an individual first, then find a teammate, or participate as a one-person team. If you later form a team, you do not need to register again—just submit accordingly.
• Submit required documents before the deadlines below.

• I. For the first-stage selection: One Technical Description (maximum 2 pages, PDF format). Please refer to Section 5 (Evaluation Criteria) for the main aspects that your proposal should address, as the evaluation is based not only on technical content but also on the practical application of ideas. The IEEE format must be used; templates can be found here: https://www.ieee.org/conferences/publishing/templates. Please use the A4 Word template or LaTeX template, including figures, tables, and references, if any.
• * All submissions must include a clearly identifiable original contribution by the participants. Work extending prior developments, documentation, or publications is admissible only if the participants' contribution can be properly demonstrated and if the submission advances beyond the state of the art, rather than simply reproducing established results from the literature.
• It must be submitted by 1 June 2026, via email ibd.competition@gmail.com
• Email Subject & File Naming Format: [IBD 2026 Submission] - [Team Name] - [Project Name]. Example: IBD 2026 Submission – Team Alpha – Intelligent Robotic System for Neural Rehabilitation
• Announcement of the Shortlisted Teams will be by July 31st, 2026.
• II. For the shortlist teams during the event day at PoliTo: Must: A Poster (presentation/scientific poster, similar to a standard IEEE conference poster; please print and bring it to the event; recommended size: A0 or A1) and presentation (PPT or other formats); must be submitted by 2 September 2026, via email, ibd.competition@gmail.com; Optional: Video, prototype, documentation, any other related. Optional materials do not need to be submitted by email.

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Each submission will be evaluated on a 1–10 scale in the following areas:

• Innovation — originality, creativity, and innovative application of technology
• Feasibility — practicality and technical viability
• Technical Accuracy — soundness of the engineering or scientific approach
• User (Patient/Doctor)-Centered Design — patient/doctor usability, comfort, and relevance
• Potential Impact & Sustainability — contribution to the advancement of BMDs in real applications

The evaluation panel consists of experts from academia and industry, including specialists in biomedical engineering, electromagnetics, electronics, biomaterials, and implantable devices.

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Date	Milestone
31 March 2026	Competition Call Launch
6 May 2026	Registration Deadline
8 May 2026	Webinar for all registered participants, with Q&A and team matching; Time (tentative): 17:00–18:00 (CET). Link will be sent by email on 7 May or earlier.
1 June 2026 (23:59 CET)	Submission Deadline
31 July 2026 (Rescheduled to 3/4 August)	Announcement of the Top 15 Shortlisted Teams
4 Sep. 2026	In-Person Event Day at PoliTo: Showcase, Talks, Award Ceremony

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(pre-assigned Building M / M classrooms (room to be confirmed)) 📍 View on Google Maps

Time	Activity
Morning
08:30 – 09:00	Welcome and Opening Remarks
09:00 – 10:45	Team Presentations (Teams 1–7) 10-minute presentation + 2-minute Q&A per team
10:40 – 11:15	Coffee Break
11:15 – 13:00	Team Presentations (Teams 8–14) 10-minute presentation + 2-minute Q&A per team
13:00 – 14:30	Lunch Break (Included)
Afternoon
14:30 – 15:00	Awards Ceremony · Announcement of the final rankings · Prize presentation
15:00 – 15:30	Expert Talks Presentations by professors, researchers, and industry professionals
15:30 – 16:00	Q&A Session Discussion with specialists in biomedical devices, implantable devices, sensors, and medical innovation
16:00 – 17:00	I3P Incubator Visit · Introduction to I3P and its startup ecosystem · Overview of the incubation model, startups, and success stories · Informal interaction with startup representatives and students
17:00 – 19:30	Free Time You may relax or explore the city. We will meet again at the restaurant for dinner.
19:30 onwards	Social Dinner Restaurant in the city center along the Po River (TBA)

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• Certificates for all participants, including those not shortlisted
• Cash awards for the top-ranked teams
• Opportunity to meet industry and academic mentors
• Featured spotlight in Unite! dissemination channels
• Winning projects may be invited for further collaboration or development

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For inquiries, partnership interest, or clarifications, please contact the Organizing Committee via ibd.competition@gmail.com or the organizers/coordinators from your university, as listed below.

The official website is https://www.wirelessimd.org/ibd_competition_2026/, where you can find the latest updates. We will also regularly share updates with registered participants.

Poster
Q1.	Does it need to be an advertisement poster or a presentation poster? A: It should be a presentation/scientific poster, similar to a standard IEEE conference poster.
Q2.	What should be included in the poster? A: There are no specific requirements. Please include the information that best presents your project. A standard IEEE conference poster can be used as a good reference, but there is no fixed template.
Q3.	Do we need to print the poster or only submit a digital version? A: You should print the poster and bring it to the event. It will be displayed on site so that participants can learn about your work not only during your presentation, but also afterwards during the coffee break, lunch, networking sessions, and other free time. This is similar to a conference poster session.
Q4.	What size should the poster be? A: You may follow a standard conference poster format. IEEE does not specify a single standard poster size, so you are free to choose a commonly used format (e.g., A0 or A1).
Presentation
Q5.	Do we have to use PowerPoint, or can we use other presentation software (e.g., Canva)? A: You may use any presentation software you prefer. However, please make sure it can be easily presented on a standard computer. You are welcome to bring your own laptop, but connecting it to the room equipment may not work as expected.
Q6.	Does every team member need to present, or can we choose? A: You may decide how to organize the presentation within your team.
Additional Materials
Q7.	If we create a prototype, app, or other supporting materials, do we need to submit them by email together with the poster and presentation? A: No. The optional materials do not need to be submitted by email.
Q8.	If it is difficult to build a prototype, can we bring sketches, patterns, photographs, or similar materials instead? A: Yes, of course. Sketches, photos, renderings, or any other supporting materials are all welcome.
General
Q9.	Will there be a videocall to explain these requirements? A: At the moment, we do not plan to organize a videocall.

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This competition, including the event and travel reimbursements, is funded by the UNITE! Seed Fund.