Loughborough graduate’s sensory alarm for deaf people wins award

Agrawalla said emergency alarms, doorbells and room signals are “not always visual, tactile or accessible” in hotels and unfamiliar places.

She added when hearing devices are removed for sleeping or showering, there are “off-device” gaps where key alerts could be missed.

Agrawalla, who uses a cochlear implant – a small electronic device that can be used by people with severe hearing loss who cannot use a hearing aid – said winning the national award “means a great deal to me”.

She added: “SIVO.GO started from my own experience of being deaf and wanting to feel safer and more independent when I am not wearing my cochlear implants.

“This recognition gives me the confidence and support to take SIVO.GO beyond a university project and develop it into something that could genuinely help other deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

“My next step is to refine the technology, continue testing with users and explore how it could become a real product that people can rely on in everyday life.”

The designer is no stranger to winning competitions. Last year, she created jewellery for use with hearing devices, which was made for production.

Prof Nick Jennings, vice-chancellor and president at Loughborough University, said the national recognition was a “tremendous achievement” for Agrawalla.

“It highlights the potential for student ideas to have real-world impact,” he said.

“We are incredibly proud of Gargi and delighted to see her talent and ingenuity recognised with this prestigious award.

“SIVO.GO is a fantastic example of what can happen when excellent design is combined with lived experience and a determination to solve a genuine real-world problem.”

Jennings added he looked forward to seeing how the product develops.