Graduate shows 2015: University of Brighton graduate Amber Defroand has designed a vibrator with interchangeable shafts to "enable women to personalise their sexual experiences".

The Pillow Play range includes different silicone shapes, such as a double-headed module for stimulating different erogenous zones at the same time.

Each of these can be mounted onto the same vibrating base, allowing the user to swap to a different shape without buying another toy.

"I wanted to design a modular vibrator so the user can interchange the silicone shafts depending on what pleasure experience they want," Defroand told Dezeen.

Aiming to reduce the stigmatism surrounding generic phallic-shaped sex toys, the designer created a range of shapes that include a wavy edge, a bulbous end and a sculpted tip – each identified by a different colour.

Defroand wanted to create organic shapes for the products rather than modelling them on male anatomy.

"Sex toys are stigmatised as being these big phallic-shaped rubber objects and can be closely linked to being seen to be a bit of a hussy if you have one, which is completely insane!" she said.

In a similar recent project, Czech designer Anna Maresova launched a set of sex toys that are designed to avoid being "blatantly vulgar or weird".

When presented at the New Designers graduate exhibition earlier this month, the objects were mistaken for garden appliances by some, according to Defroand.

USB ports are used to attach the shafts onto the base and to charge the device. Controls for increasing or decreasing vibration speed, or changing pulse settings, of the motorised shaft are marked in pink on the side of the white plastic base.

The toy can also be controlled via an app, which enables users to store personalised settings as well as purchase new modules.

The designer's motives for the project also included helping women to overcome "sexual dysfunction", and providing her friends with a tool that would allow them to experience penetrative orgasms.

"One in three women suffer from some form of dysfunction, where be it may be to do with low sexual desire, sexual arousal disorder or orgasmic disorder," Defroand claimed.

"Another reason why I chose this area was that a few of my friends have admitted to me that they have never had an orgasm and I wanted to try to change this, as I believe every woman should experience all sexual sensations."

However, after working on the project for the duration of her final year at university, Defroand found that she wasn't able to overcome these issues with her design.

"I soon realised I couldn't perform this miracle as it was a lot more complex than previously explored," she said. "I believe I have come one step closer to accomplishing this area and I do believe my product is extremely versatile and reduces the stigma around novelty toys."

Many designers have tried their hand at creating innovative and unusual sex toys. Examples include a set based on stereotypical female fantasies and another inspired by the aloe vera plant.

Perhaps one of the most bizarre is a dildo with a compartment for storing the ashes of a deceased partner.