Peter Agada, a research engineer and lab technician in the Department of Kinesiology, has won $10,000 in the 2017 Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge.

His product, myBalanceSens, was one of four projects to each receive a $10,000 Third Runner Up prize. MyBalanceSens embeds vestibular stimulation technology into eyeglasses to help wearers monitor and improve their balance and reduce fall risk.

“I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation to my fellow students and colleagues at Temple University who helped bolster our online campaign,” Agada said. He expressed special thanks to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute and Blackstone LaunchPad, a campus-based entrepreneurship program to support and mentor students and alumni throughout the university, for their publicity help.

Agada is enrolled in the MS program in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at Fox School of Business. This summer he will take part in an experiential learning program funded by the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps), a program that teaches researchers to identify and develop real-world markets for their innovations.

He plans to use the Cisco award to further his technology once he’s identified those opportunities in the I-Corps program. “This award couldn't have come at a more auspicious time,” Agada said.

The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge awards $300,000 each year to students and recent alumni who have developed digital innovations that address critical impact areas including economic development, basic human needs, healthcare, education, connectivity, and the environment.

The 2017 competition’s $100,000 grand prize was awarded to Project Vive, which has developed a wearable voice- enabling device for people with cerebral palsy and ALS. Among the 10 other award winners were products designed to identify and manage the disease and to expand access to education, clean water, and alternative power sources.