e-Legacy 2016 has seven categories offering opportunities for companies to demonstrate how they are building solid foundations for a responsible future through engineering.

To enter a product or company that you feel is worthy of an e-Legacy award, simply scroll to the bottom of the page and select the relevant award category and follow the guidelines. Suitable entries can be nominated for several awards categories.

As before, entry is quick and simple. We require a brief description of how the nominated product, project or company relates to the e-Legacy Award category. Entries are open from now until the 31st May.

The categories are

Education

The “Education Award” will reward investment in education and training by electronics companies. With an ongoing STEM pupil shortage and a forecast that the UK will require one million new engineers in the next five years, it is critical to get more people into the engineering sector, whether through schools and universities or retraining. This award will recognise the companies that encourage an interest in technology as well as those that organise internal or external training schemes.

Medical

The “Medical Award” is designed to recognise companies that use technology for the easier diagnosis or treatment of patients. This includes those companies that design products that promote advances in the field of telemedicine and other methods of remote monitoring and diagnostics that reduce hospital stays and ease the pressure on doctor’s surgeries. Also included in the scope of the award is technologies designed for the prevention of illness and the promotion of health.

Energy

The “Energy Award” identifies the considerable advances that have been made to generate and deliver power as well as create devices that use that power as efficiently as possibly. Every electronic system needs power to operate, and the scope of this award is incredibly broad and can range from creating components that make renewable energy sources more viable, to making the power grid more efficient, to reducing energy use in products.

Sustainability

The “Sustainability Award” will reward company programmes that encourage the sustainability of manufacturing and raw materials use. Products that use a high degree of recycled materials are eligible, as are products that themselves are recyclable, or use plentiful materials that have minimal environmental impact in their extraction and processing. Products with inherent longevity or a clear upgrade path to ensure long-life-cycles are also eligible, as are environmentally sound packaging/delivery materials and options.

IoT

The “IoT Award” appears for the first time in e-Legacy. IoT is expected to change the way we do everything. Every other award category described here will be enhanced by the IoT’s ability to give an unprecedented level of visibility and control over any system. The miniaturisation of sensors, cheap computing power, readily available networking and integration between IT and real-world systems will change the way we live and work. Any device, service, or technique that facilitates the adoption of the IoT is eligible for entry to this award.

Manufacturing

The “Manufacturing Award” is making a comeback to e-Legacy, just as manufacturing is starting to make a comeback to the UK. Low volume, high value products have always remained in the UK, but the rise of technologies like automation, IoT and additive manufacturing has allowed UK manufacturers to onshore many more applications. We are looking for any company that’s invested in new technologies, brought work back to the UK, or have led innovation in manufacturing.

Overall Winner Award

The “Overall Winner Award” will be chosen from the entire pool of nominations. For a change this year, the 2016 Overall Winner will be chosen by those attending lunch or keeping up to date on Twitter.