2025 KIMES Medical Device Design Trend Report
Medical Device Design: Shifting from Technology Centric to Experience Centric
At KIMES 2025, Korea’s largest medical device exhibition, a clear shift in the design paradigm across the medical device industry was evident. Moving away from the traditional focus on technical performance alone, design that integrates user experience (UX), space-friendliness, and brand identity is becoming a core element of competitiveness in medical devices.
PINO analyzed key medical and aesthetic devices showcased at KIMES 2025 and summarized the future direction of medical device design into the following core trends.
1. Formal Restraint and Structural Clarity
Medical devices showcased at KIMES 2025 commonly exhibited a design trend of visually simplifying complex functions. A prominent approach was to emphasize the reliability and professionalism inherent to medical devices by eliminating unnecessary decorative elements and utilizing clear vertical and horizontal structures with stable proportions. In particular, larger medical equipment tended to have streamlined exteriors, applying a function-oriented form language that considers internal structure and maintenance efficiency.
2. User Centric Interfaces and Intuitive Operation Structures
Intuitive UI/UX design centered on touch displays has become a standard requirement rather than an optional feature. Improvements such as adjustable screen angles, enhanced visibility, and the strategic division of roles between physical buttons and digital interfaces are analyzed as outcomes that reflect actual clinical usage scenarios. This is interpreted as a design strategy aimed at reducing usage variance based on medical staff proficiency while simultaneously securing operational efficiency and safety.
3. Object Like Design in Harmony with Medical Spaces
Unlike in the past, when medical devices were perceived only as equipment, this year’s KIMES clearly observed object-like designs that harmonize with their surroundings. Color strategies based on white and neutral tones, soft curved surfaces, and refined details are the results of considering psychological stability within hospital and clinic environments. This shows that the awareness of medical devices acting as part of the patient experience is being fully reflected in design.
4. Design Approach Considering Modularity and Scalability
Designs considering modular structures and scalability were identified in numerous new products from various manufacturers. By designing handpieces, arm structures, and accessory modules to be replaceable or expandable depending on the situation, a single device is being designed to respond to diverse clinical environments. This is evaluated as a strategic design approach that simultaneously considers the product lifecycle and market responsiveness.
5. Consistent Visualization of Brand Identity
At KIMES 2025, the integration of design language at the brand level, moving beyond single products, emerged as a significant trend. There was an increase in cases where form, color, detail, and UI configuration were unified under a single brand identity. This is interpreted as part of a design strategy aimed at the global market.
Insights from PINO
Through the design trends observed at KIMES 2025, PINO confirmed that medical device design is expanding from technology to experience, function to value, and equipment to brand assets.
Future medical device design is projected to evolve beyond simple aesthetic improvements toward a comprehensive integration of structural design reflecting actual usage environments, interfaces considering user experience, and design strategies that strengthen brand competitiveness.
PINO will continue to propose practical design solutions based on the unique characteristics of the medical device industry and on-site experience, keeping pace with these evolving changes.
※ The file below is a trend report we have prepared based on KIMES 2025. Please feel free to download it whenever needed, and we hope it provides valuable insights for your business.