Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Social

winner

innovation

Monash University

engineering

James Dyson Award Malaysia

ZeMor

parkinsons

wearable

A final-year engineering project from Monash University Malaysia has turned into an award-winning invention after 24-year-old Hayley Nea Iaduray was named Malaysia&rsquo;s National Winner of the James Dyson Award 2026.
Her invention, ZeMor, is a tuneable, battery-free wearable designed to help reduce hand tremors associated with Parkinson&rsquo;s disease. What makes it particularly interesting is where the idea came from: a system commonly used to stabilise some of the world&rsquo;s tallest buildings has been miniaturised into a wearable device for the human hand.
As Malaysia&rsquo;s national winner, Iaduray will receive RM27,160 from the James Dyson Foundation and advance to the international stage of the competition. The James Dyson Award is an international engineering and design competition that challenges students and recent graduates to create solutions to real-world problems.
From Final Year Project To Award-Winning Invention
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/31a75f989e9bca245003fc19fb09cd4f0a7ef25d5bd81551d4486f602b759a15" />
ZeMor, short for &ldquo;Zero Tremor&rdquo;, was initially developed as Iaduray&rsquo;s Final Year Project.
The Subang Jaya native said her interest in engineering began from a young age, including spending time playing with LEGO during secondary school. Her approach to ZeMor was also influenced by an online video showing someone building a wheelchair for a paralysed pet, which encouraged her to look at how relatively simple engineering could be used to solve practical problems.
Rather than relying heavily on electronics and sensors, Iaduray wanted to explore a more straightforward physical solution.
That led her to one of the most interesting aspects of ZeMor: its use of a Tuned Mass Damper, or TMD.
A Skyscraper Technology Shrunk Down For Parkinson&rsquo;s Care
&nbsp;<img src="https://r2.myc.my/3cabd0347e8f9ad5c0dfaf0bfc1e63007ed55d08a4c4b8ec6ad56474a089feb9" />
Tuned Mass Dampers are large mechanical systems used in structures to reduce movement caused by forces such as strong winds and earthquakes. One famous example can be found in Taipei 101, where a massive tuned mass damper helps stabilise the skyscraper.
ZeMor applies the same basic engineering principle on a much smaller scale.
When a hand tremor occurs, an internal weighted mechanism moves in response, helping to absorb and dissipate kinetic energy. Because the system relies on mechanical movement rather than electronics, ZeMor does not require batteries or electrical power.
Another key feature is its ability to be adjusted.
Unlike passive tremor devices that use a fixed mass, ZeMor can be tuned to different tremor frequencies by adding or removing weights. The prototype uses relatively accessible components including slotted weights, steel ball bearings, spring-based dampeners and a 3D-printed housing.
Iaduray spent around a year developing and refining multiple prototypes, testing the concept with a custom-built rig designed to simulate Parkinsonian tremors.
Why ZeMor Could Matter For Parkinson&rsquo;s Patients
&nbsp;<img src="https://media.tenor.com/-UrD8zExORAAAAAM/tremor-hands.gif" />
Parkinson&rsquo;s disease is a progressive neurological condition that can significantly affect a person&rsquo;s ability to carry out everyday activities.
Hand tremors are among its most recognisable symptoms and can make tasks such as eating, writing, dressing and holding objects increasingly difficult.
The World Health Organization has identified Parkinson&rsquo;s as one of the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing neurological disorders, while research suggests the global number of people living with the condition could reach 25.2 million by 2050. In Malaysia, an estimated 20,000 people are living with Parkinson&rsquo;s, with prevalence expected to rise substantially as the population ages.
Existing treatments can include medication, surgery such as deep brain stimulation and rehabilitation therapies. However, accessibility, cost and long-term sustainability can remain challenges for some patients.
That is where Iaduray hopes a simpler, battery-free approach like ZeMor could eventually make a difference.
&ldquo;What excites me most is the possibility that a relatively simple piece of engineering could help people regain confidence in everyday tasks that many of us take for granted,&rdquo; she said.
What&rsquo;s Next For ZeMor?
Winning the Malaysia National Winner title is only the beginning for Iaduray.
Her next goal is to improve ZeMor from its current single-axis prototype into a multi-directional system, allowing it to respond to tremors coming from different angles and potentially provide greater stability.
She also plans to work with medical professionals and research partners to evaluate the device with people living with Parkinson&rsquo;s disease.
James Dyson Award Malaysia judge and Dyson Head of Design Engineering Pae Yusof praised ZeMor for applying a familiar engineering principle to a very different real-world challenge, while highlighting the rigour, testing and persistence involved in developing the prototype.
Two Other Malaysian Inventions Also Advance
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/b4eed50a77e529173d65337261ecd8038b0fb6562621c0e80e90efcd7b77360c" />
ZeMor was not the only Malaysian invention to stand out this year.
Two projects were named national runners-up and will also advance to the next stage.
S.L.I.C. (Solar Liquid Integration for Communities), developed by a team from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, is a portable solar-powered water purification system designed for communities with limited access to clean water and electricity. The suitcase-sized system combines filtration, UV sterilisation, water heating and cooling, and real-time water-quality monitoring.
The second runner-up, Pillay, was developed by students from Asia Pacific University. Designed in the shape of a friendly penguin, the contactless health-screening device uses optical, thermal and acoustic sensing to measure children's heart rate, breathing, fever and cough patterns without requiring physical contact.
What Happens Next?
ZeMor, S.L.I.C. and Pillay will now advance to the international stage of the James Dyson Award 2026, where they will compete alongside national winners from other countries and regions.
The international Top 20 shortlist will be announced on 14 October, before the international winners are selected by Sir James Dyson and announced on 4 November 2026. The international winner and sustainability winner each have the opportunity to receive RM162,999 under the Malaysian award listing.
For Iaduray, however, the biggest achievement may already be seeing a university project evolve into something with the potential to address a genuine everyday problem.
From a Final Year Project to a national engineering award, ZeMor shows how a simple idea &mdash; inspired by the mechanics of a skyscraper &mdash; can be reimagined into something much smaller, more accessible and potentially meaningful for people living with Parkinson&rsquo;s.
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
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What do skyscrapers and Parkinson’s tremors have in common? Hayley turned the same engineering principle into a wearable device.

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Monash Student Wins James Dyson Award Malaysia With ZeMor, Aiming To Help Reduce Parkinson’s Tremors

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BIllie Eilish UMMY

Monash Student Wins James Dyson Award Malaysia With ZeMor, Aiming To Help Reduce Parkinson’s Tremors

What do skyscrapers and Parkinson’s tremors have in common? Hayley turned the same engineering principle into a wearable device.

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