UKDF 2026

UKDF is the annual meeting of the UK electronics systems community, focusing on networking and community-building. UKDF 2026 will follow the well-established format:

Day 1 - arrive in the afternoon, for dinner served at 6.15pm, an after-dinner talk and networking in the bar,

Day 2 - starts at 9am with a keynote talk, and continues with technical sessions, talks, demos, and discussions, finishing about 4.30pm.

As ever, we are aiming to put together a programme that is both interesting and entertaining. For this we need your contributions! Contributions are not refereed or moderated in any way; the only reason for you giving a talk is that you think you have something to say that will interest your peers, be it technical (but not too technical, please), political, off-the-wall ideas you want some feedback about, funding, or just downright contentious. We also aim to have an interactive demonstration session. For this, we will provide a table and invite you to bring bits of hardware that actually do something. You will also get a short lightning talk slot to introduce your demo. You may also set up an exhibition stand, we will provide a table and you may bring your roll-up banners or posters, etc.

If you know how you would want to contribute, please indicate this on the registration form. If you have any questions about contributing, please contact the organisers.

Please register before 22nd April 2026 for the 'Complete 24-hr package' (including hotel accommodation). Late registration will be available until 4th May, but only for 'No-accommodation' and 'Day' packages. There will be no on-site registrations.

Feel free to forward this to people who you think will appreciate the spirit of the meeting and will be interested in attending and contributing - especially the new(er) members of our electronics design community!

Further information can be found on the UK Design Forum website.

UKDF Steering Committee: Prof Piotr Dudek (Manchester), Prof Simon Moore (Cambridge), Dr Graeme Bragg (Southampton), Prof Martin Trefzer (York)

Venue & Travel

Pendulum Hotel and Conference Centre is a 10-minute walk from Manchester’s main train station (Manchester Piccadilly). See the map below. The nearest car park is NCP Circle Square, a 5-minute walk from the hotel.