Bobo, a tactile and interactive companion device, designed by Anoushka Sawardekar as part of her master’s thesis project at the Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. Bobo is designed for users aged between 8 to 16 years old to help track symptoms such as pain, nausea, bloating or mood changes that occur, allowing users to record them through an accessible touchscreen interface to be shared with healthcare professionals to support menstrual health. For many young people, painful periods are dismissed as normal as many of the symptoms are not tracked or shared. For those living with conditions such as endometriosis, this can mean years of uncertainty before receiving a diagnosis. Bobo aims to bridge the gap between the users experience and professional healthcare.
Designed as a soft, tactile form that clips onto a school bag, offering an alternative to smartphone use. A pressure-sensitive sensor allows users to log pain by squeezing the device, providing an intuitive way to communicate their level of discomfort. The system builds a record across menstrual cycles, identifying patterns that can be recalled during a medical appointment. After three or more cycles, Bobo generates a structured clinical report that can be shared with a general practitioner through near-field communication (NFC), with a single tap.
Health data is stored locally and encrypted, giving young users control over their information. Sawardekar placed lived experience at the centre of the design process which was informed by interviews with clinicians, parents and young people. Recognised as a 2026 James Dyson Award UK national runner-up, Bobo aims to empower young people to advocate for their health care.
