When the words “condom,” “STI,” and “teens” are used together in a sentence, it’s usually not a good thing. “These teens didn’t use a condom, and now he has the It Follows STI-monster chasing him forever,” and so on. But this is an unusual story: a group of teenagers in Essex have invented a condom that changes color when a sexually transmitted infection is detected.
Isaac Newton Academy students Daanyaal Ali, Muaz Nawaz, and Chirag Shah, who are 14, 13, and 14 years old, respectively, unveiled the S.T.EYE condom at the TeenTech awards, where they won Best Health Innovation. According to Daanyaal, via the Telegraph, they created the S.T.EYE “as a new way for STI detection to help the future of the next generation.”
“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. 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.” (Via)
The way the condom works is that once it comes in contact with an STI, antibodies recognize the nastiness that’s about to happen and the rubber changes colors. It’s kind of like a mood ring, except no one wearing a mood ring has ever gotten laid. CNN reports that the “condoms are still at the concept stage but the developers have been approached by a condom manufacturer that believes it can make their idea a reality.” For once, let’s not #BanTeens.
(Via Telegraph)