A new condom that can detect sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) on contact has been created by three students at the Isaac Newton Academy in the United Kingdom.
The condom, called the S. T. EYE, has an indicator that glows with a different color depending on which type of infection is detected. Yellow indicates the herpes virus, green points to chlamydia, blue announces syphilis and the color will change to purple if the wearer has the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes genital warts, writes Ted Ranosa for Tech Times.
Academy students Chirag Shah, Muaz Nawaz and Daanyaal Ali created the new technology, which was presented at the TeenTech Awards in London, where it won an award in the category of health. The winning school is offered a cash prize of $1,580, and the trio has been invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace later this year, which will introduce the young men to opportunities in the STEM workplace.
“We created the S.T.EYE as a new way for STI detection to help the future of the next generation,” Ali said. “We wanted to make something that makes detecting harmful STIs safer than ever before, so that people can take immediate action in the privacy of their own homes without the invasive procedures at the doctors.”
Ali added that the new condoms take away fears concerning sexually transmitted diseases while allowing people to become more responsible when dealing with such diseases.
According to Maggie Philbin, CEO and founder of TeenTech, the goal of the program is to provide a way for students to present their ideas to industry professionals. She added that doing so allows students to realize the full potential of their designs.
Other inventions included shoes that can charge electronics using energy created while walking, as well as hair accessories that can change color to match the wearer’s clothing through Wi-Fi technology. Also presented was the eWaterTap, which can help rural communities manage their water systems.
While there has been a recent drop in teen pregnancy, birth and abortions, teens in the United States still stand a higher chance of contracting an STD than young people in other comparable countries. With over 20% of teen females and 14% of teen men saying they did not use a condom the first time they had sex, a condom that glows when it detects an STD could show teens why it is important to use condom during sexual intercourse.