One of the oldest forms of contraceptives may soon be undergoing a makeover. Scientists at the University of Manchester are developing a new composite material using graphene and latex for use in condoms.
Graphene was first discovered in 2004 by Sir Andrew Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov at Manchester University, earning them the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010.
On Wednesday, the Bill Gates Foundation announced 11 winning concepts for the condom of the future out of 812 applications. Each winner will receive $100,000 and could receive $1 million if their inventions get developed further and put into production.
Winners spanning 14 countries were selected from more than 2,700 proposals. Winners represent a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, including design professionals, health researchers, polymer engineers, entrepreneurs, and public-private coalitions.
"Grand Challenges Explorations is designed to foster the most innovative ideas to save the lives of the world's poorest people," saidChris Wilson, director of the Discovery & Translational Sciences team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Although these five areas are very different, solving each one of these problems in new ways could make a huge impact."
Many of the winners explored new materials besides latex. Apex Medical Technologies' (San Diego) proposal envisioned using collagen from either a cow's Achilles tendon or fish skin to create a wrap similar to skin, The Times reported.
"They're unbelievably strong," said Apex CEO Ted McGlothlin, referring to the beef tendon he regularly purchases from a Vietnamese grocery. "I could yank all day and not break this thing."
Winners include the "ultrasensitive reconstituted collagen condom" proposed by Apex Medical Technologies in San Diego. Apex's president, Mark McGlothlin, said his product would feel like skin and be made from collagen fibers from cows' Achilles tendons or possibly fish skin.
