Scientists in Australia funded by Bill & Melinda Gates are working on replacing latex with hydrogel in the next evolution of the condom. This new material is more pliable but much thinner allowing for increased sensation for both parties. These condoms also have the ability to be used as a way to deliver viagra or electro stimulation to the wearer.
The new material is being tried and tested at the University of Wollongong in Australia and so far the progress has been promising.
“Our original idea was just to try to prove that an original material could replace latex,” Gorkin said. “We had an idea that these new materials would have the same properties as rubber with a nicer feel, but we weren’t sure if they had the right properties for a condom.”
The material is already being used in medical applications and has acted as human tissue in prosthetics to simulate both blood vessels and eye implants. Hydrogels offer the world of contraception the potential for the user to feel as though they are wearing nothing at all and may finally get over the common complaint that people don’t like using condoms due to lack of sensation.
