Attention Grabbing App for Deaf People Proves to Be a Bright Idea

360 million people around the world have disabling hearing loss. And although many steps have been taken to help deaf people become more integrated into society, there’s still one part of life that causes problems; the morning alarm.

DeafWake is the innovative app that’s intended to get attention. Taking the deaf world by storm, it was created by a deaf person and is designed to ensure everyone can get up when they’re supposed to. Removing the risk of sleeping in and being late for meetings, it allows deaf individuals to be on time, every time.

With a unique, user-friendly interface that lets the individual choose how they would like to be woken, it can be tailored for each person’s needs. Utilising all the senses of mobile phones to help bring deaf people out of their slumber, it features a bright, flashing screen, a serious vibration, awakening camera flash, and a noise that will wake even the heaviest sleeper, the app has changed the way deaf people and those hard of hearing wake up every single day.

Steven Mifsud, founder of DeafWake, said, “As a person who was born deaf, I know first-hand the problems we face every day. With all the advances in technology and the increasing importance of smartphones, I never understood why there was never anything developed for deaf people.

“The key moment for me came when I was away for work and the alarm I was using failed to wake me up. Causing severe embarrassment for me with a client I was meeting, I knew something had to be done. And that’s when I started to develop the app.”

The app has hit all four corners of the globe, including the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, and Mexico. And with more than 1,000 downloads on the App Store, and over 400,000 Facebook users reached, the app has proven to be a huge hit with those who struggle daily with the realities of being deaf or severely hard of hearing.

“I am bewildered at how the app has been received – never did I expect this reaction,” added Steven. “I’m also very touched to know that I am helping people out there who have a hearing impairment, and make their life that little bit easier.”

Frustration led creator Steven Mifsud to learn how to programme using Apple’s Swift game, bringing in help from a professional app developer to iron out the technicalities at the later stages.

Currently available for IOS, the Android version is due for release soon.

To find out more about the app, visit the website: http://deafwake.com/