A group of students from England have come up with a ‘smart’ condom that changes colors when it detects different types of STDs. The invention, which is known as the “S.T.EYE,” was presented at the TeenTech Awards as a means by which to decrease global STD rates, reports the Daily Mail.
S.T.EYE. was invented by three students – Muaz Nawaz, 13, Daanyaal Ali, 14, and Chirag Shah, 14, who all attend Isaac Newton Academy in Ilford, London. The team decided to create the innovative new contraceptive product after they learned just a big of a problem STDs are in the United Kingdom.
Chirag Shah, one of the condom’s developers, was quoted by CNN as having said that they were inspired by the notion of creating a condom which “could save hundreds of thousands of lives.”
This kind of inspired us to make a condom, as it could save hundreds of thousands of lives.
The condom concept includes a layer of molecules that attach to different viruses and bacteria associated with the most common STDs and glow different colors accordingly. For example, when the product comes in contact with chlamydia, it turns green, yellow for herpes and blue for syphilis. Daanyaal Ali said he hoped this invention would help people realize STDs they have and seek treatment.
We wanted to create 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.
The group stated that the invention would encourage responsible sex and “peace of mind” through its easy method of detection.
We’ve made sure we’re able to give peace of mind to users and make sure people can be even more responsible than ever before.
Further questions have arisen in light of the concept, as there are those who wonder whether the condom will detect diseases in the partner and how such detections would be discerned between the partner and the wearer. There are also those who wondering what would happen in the case of multiple STDs, the Washington Post
reported.
Although still a concept, the students have already been approached by a condom manufacturer that believes it can transform their concept into a real product . Whilst Nawaz states that the group would love to see their idea turned into reality, the boys do realize that doing so might be quite the challenging process.
Maggie Philbin, the former Tomorrow’s World presenter and co-founder of the TeenTech Awards stated that whilst so far it is only an idea, the boys have done a great deal of research and it might become a success, as “some of them do make it.”
We know most of these ideas remain ideas, but some of them do make it.
A spokesperson for the awards stated that the TeenTech Awards is a great platform for demonstrating “how the next generation holds the innovative ideas of the future in their hands.”
TeenTech demonstrates how the next generation holds the innovative ideas of the future in their hands.
Dr. Ward Cates, a scientist and professor emeritus at a non-profit human development organization, also commented on the topic, saying that with the technologies currently available, the production of such condoms would be quite possible. He did, however, mention that it would probably be too expensive to make a condom that would be able to detect more than one STI.
With today’s molecular technology, it is quite possible (…) It would be quite sophisticated and my guess is quite costly.
The idea of ‘S.T.EYE’ was awarded first prize in the Health Category granting the students $1,580 (£1,000) and an invitation to meet Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, at Buckingham Palace later this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSh7CdaaOwI
