A female inventor from Germany has won the prestigious James Dyson Award for making a new and safe male birth control device that reduces sperm mobility.
Scientist Rebecca Weiss of the Industrial Design department at the Technical University in Munich named her invention the COSO, a hormone-free, ultrasound-based male birth control tool.
In an interview with Dyson, the inventor said she developed the male birth control device after her cervical cancer diagnosis. Because Weiss had to stop using the pill as it impacts her hormones and her health, she looked for alternative contraception and realized the lack of options for the men. Only two male birth control methods are widely accepted in the market: condoms and vasectomy.
"The problem is not unique to me personally," Weiss said. "It affects many others as well."
How the COSO Works
COSO entails hot water therapy aided by ultrasound technology. A doctor's help may be needed so that the device would fit perfectly to a man's specific testicle size. Ideally, the COSO could be used every few months for a man's painless "testicle bath."
The device works best before intercourse. The first thing a man needs to do is fill the device with water and then turn up the heat to a specific temperature. With both legs spread apart, the man sits on the device as the ultrasound waves pass through the testicles.
According to The Hill, the ultrasound slows down the motility of the sperm, so it won't be able to fertilize an egg. The process, however, is only temporary and reversible, which means the man would not be permanently infertile.
COSO will still undergo more testing before it becomes a commercial product. However, the James Dyson Award recognized its potential as a well-engineered and ingenious product with a lot of potentials. Weiss said she would use her $45,000 prize to proceed with the enhancements of her invention.
Lack of Male Birth Control Options
Between 2005 to the current period, experts worldwide have done over 30 studies on male birth control options. Studies have shown that 83 percent of men would use other birth control methods if more effective, reliable, and safe products were in the market.
While researchers have invented pills and injectables, pharmaceutical companies do not see the viability of investing in male birth control research. Hence, most of these were rejected due to lack of funding, health concerns, and side effects like mood changes, weight gain, or acne.
The same side effects, however, are also in birth control pills that most women use. For many experts, birth control is still a woman's issue since they are the ones who can get pregnant. However, Weiss said that men's perceptions have changed in recent years as they would also like to take responsibility when it comes to reproductive health. She is confident that there is a big market for her up-and-coming product.
