Joshua Obadin, a 12-year-old innovator from Lagos, has been recognized as one of the ten winners of the IDEASforEARS Children’s Invention Contest, earning an all-expenses-paid trip to Austria.
Obadin’s winning invention is a sleepwear cover designed to help his friend, Master Mikel, who relies on a cochlear implant. He explained, “Mikel can’t hear without his device, and when he removes it at bedtime, everything goes silent—even if there’s danger.” His invention aims to enhance safety for children with hearing impairments.
The IDEASforEARS contest, organized by the hearing implant company MED-EL, challenges children aged six to 12 to create innovations that improve the lives of those with hearing loss. This year, the contest attracted 355 participants from 24 countries.
The Head Judge, Geoffrey Ball, praised the creativity and problem-solving abilities of the contestants, stating that their submissions reflect a desire to turn challenges into solutions.
Obadin will travel to Innsbruck, Austria, in June with a parent, where he will meet other young inventors and participate in workshops. Other winners hail from countries including China, Brazil, and the United States. Since its launch in 2017, the contest has received over 1,700 submissions from more than 45 countries, highlighting the global effort to address hearing challenges.
