The ISBS Human-Equipment Interaction Sports Engineering Award is proposed to recognise outstanding research presented at the annual International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS) Conference that advances the understanding, design, evaluation, or optimisation of sports equipment through the study of human-equipment interaction using biomechanical analysis. Sports equipment plays a fundamental role in sporting performance, injury prevention, safety, accessibility, participation, and athlete experience. Advances in equipment design increasingly rely on interdisciplinary approaches that integrate biomechanics, sports engineering, materials science, product design, manufacturing, and data analytics. The proposed award seeks to recognise and encourage excellence in this growing area of research. The award aligns strongly with the mission of ISBS by promoting innovative research that bridges scientific discovery and practical application. It also supports the Society’s objectives of facilitating knowledge exchange, disseminating biomechanical knowledge, and strengthening connections between researchers, practitioners, and industry through the link with the Sports Engineering Journal (https://link.springer.com/ journal/12283) and the wider International Sports Engineering Association (https://www.sportsengineering.org/) to who the journal is affiliated. The award will highlight research that demonstrates how biomechanical principles can be applied to better understand the interaction between humans and sports equipment and how this knowledge can be translated into meaningful product design and engineering. The award prize is £300 and a certificate.
Award Criteria:
- The award is open to applicants at all career stages and from all regions represented within ISBS.
- The applicant must be a member of ISBS at the time of that year’s annual conference.
- The applicant must submit a paper for that year’s annual conference.
- The applicant must be the lead author of the submitted paper.
- Applicants must confirm that the paper is not under review at the time of entering for the award.
Paper submissions will be evaluated for “Scientific Excellence (40%)”, “Contribution to Sports Engineering and Biomechanics Research (40%)” and “Practical Impact and Translation (20%)” by ISBS Awards Committee representatives and Sports Engineering/ISEA representative, with the shortlisted presentations being evaluated using the following criteria:
Scientific Excellence (35%)
• Quality and rigour of biomechanics methodology.
• Appropriateness of analytical, computational, or experimental approaches.
• Originality and contribution to knowledge.
Contribution to Sports Engineering Research (35%)
• Advancement of understanding of sports equipment, technologies, or human-equipment interactions.
• Novel insights into performance, safety, accessibility, participation, or equipment function.
Practical Impact and Translation (20%)
• Potential to influence equipment design, technology development, coaching practice, athlete performance, or injury prevention.
Presentation Quality (10%)
• Clarity of communication.
• Ability to communicate both scientific and practical significance.
Submission Process:
The applicant must indicate that they would like to be considered for the Human-Equipment Interaction Sports Engineering Award when they submit their conference paper.
Deadline:
Closing date for paper submissions for that year’s annual conference.
