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Students Win Prize For Color-Changing Condoms That Detect STDs
New submitter PJ6 writes: Three students attending the Isaac Newton Academy in the UK won the Healthcare Category of the Teen Tech Awards, for their idea to use antibodies to create color-changing condoms to recognize STDs. They say the material, which is still in the concept stage, will turn green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes, purple for HPV, and blue for syphilis. The BBC reports: "The boys said they still have to test the science and feasibility of their idea. They want to work with a university on the science and say they've already been contacted by a condom company which is interested in working with them on developing the concept further."
How about just a small sample bit of test material that is packaged with the condom?
As it stands you'd have to dip it in before you got the feedback. I'd prefer the feedback up front, I would think.
We should learn what we need to know about issues, before we decide what we need to feel about them.
Yeo. They need to do lots of tests. Lot and lots of tests.
They are now looking for female vilunteers to help them out.
Who cares that they won a prize? They did something useful and nerdy. Can't we just be happy about that? #slashdot
Red for stupidity.
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
Just to be clear, they haven't invented jack shit. It's just a "concept". These three kids made a presentation of "Wouldn't it be great if..." and won a prize. It isn't science, it's creative writing.
> for their idea to use antibodies to create color-changing condoms to recognize STDs. They say the material, which is still in the concept stage
> The boys said they still have to test the science and feasibility of their idea.
So in other words, they've done nothing. Ideas are a dime a dozen.
Well, at least now there's a "good" reason to carry around a selfie stick.
Care killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
No, for the same reason you're not also 100% protected from pregnancy.
Care killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
Well you get to have sex. Pull out. Look at the color of the condom and say "Good thing I wore this you skank whore."
... are the brain farts of schoolkids newsworthy? (I know, I know, I'm on /., yada yada)
There is no reason to believe this is even feasible. Sure, it fits the "wouldn't it be nice"-category and provides us all with an opportunity to talk about stuff we like to talk about and for clickbait we like to click.
Read this, for example "No, teenagers did not invent STI-detecting color-changing condoms".
Yeah but why do you need to test for STD's then?
Yeah, the science hasn't even been tested yet... So, what is this, just hopeful, wishful thinking? What is the false positive rate? More importantly, what other chemicals trigger a false positive?
Remember that "date rape testing fingernail polish" that went super viral? Awesome in theory, horrible in practice. Milk causes a false positive with it. How many drinks nowadays contain some form of milk? Rumchata and White Russians both come to mind instantly. [in before "in soviet russia" joke]
the idea might be a bit half-baked
imho, it's not a bit half-baked, it's all the way...*this idea is awful*
my first thought was, in order to detect on females you have to have intercourse first, which kind of defeats the purpose...also, checking the color (i can just see the antics w/ attempting to use a cell phone light...) is also going to be more awkward than any of the alternatives
these ideas never leave the concept stage
if something like a condom can indicate this, just make a test swab or something...it's already awkward having to stop and turn on the light to check the color...
Thank you Dave Raggett
So as I gather from most stories around the net, this is nothing more than just an Idea, it doesn't even have a crude prototype...
And in that case, I'd rather suggest some sort of a stick (like for testing pregnancy) to test if you have a STD.. And if I use a condom, then I really don't care if the other has a STD (well at least not one that transmits through intercourse), that's what's the condom is for (next to birthcontrol)...
First, so far this is just an idea. Zero development of the detection chemistry has been performed. But hey, at least they have already decided on their indicator color scheme!
Second, the concept requires that the antibodies, coloring agents and supporting chemicals come into direct bodily contact with (mucous) skin. That is very different from normal medicinal tests where you scrape off or otherwise obtain test material and then add additional chemicals far away from your body in a test tube. The FDA will look very, very closely at this and require lots of tests before it would grant approval. Lots of enormously expensive tests, far beyond what a novelty condom could ever earn.
So in summary - a creative but stupid idea.
Perhaps it's for men to see if the women are infected after they have sex. But really the detection should be on the inside of the condom so the woman can see if the man has an STD before the sex.
It means 'ludicrous speed' :(
Back in my day we used to say "If it smells like cologne, leave it alone, if it smells like fish, make it a dish". Now get off my lawn with your fancy schmancy color changing condoms!
"This material, which is still in the concept stage..."
That's ridiculous. How is this different than sitting around bullshitting with your friends about how cool it would be to have flying cars? "Wouldn't it be cool if you had a condom that changed color when an std was present?"
And hey, look at that, they've already picked the colors!
This is absurd for so many reasons.
1) as most people familiar with condoms would recognize, when a condom's in full use it's quite frequently dark and/or not exactly exposed to where you can see it.
2) I'm not really interested in using my dong as the dipstick, no matter what it's sheathed in. I'd really rather know the STD status *before* the dick goes in
3) considering the really rather astonishing materials science behind the construction of condoms, it's not like one can easily mix in additives - anything that's going to be part of the latex but isn't directly contributing to strength is going to be a weakness. And what are its ongoing effects on the latex over the long shelf-life and sometimes difficult storage conditions (ie wallet for far too long)? You going to use such a condom if the failure rate is 2x-3x that of normal condoms?
4) the "magic" substance that changes colors in the presence of an STD has YET TO BE INVENTED.
Christ.
-Styopa
Or you say "Chlamydia! .... meh ... can be treated." And keep going.
The condom:
-- Turns blue if both partners are democrat, red if both republican, confederate flag pattern if either partner is racist.
-- Displays outdoors and "indoors" temperature.
-- Plays recorded "Echo....echo...echo" audio at the point of entry.
-- Sounds alarm if she is a he, or he is a she.
Because his hand cheats on him.
Just another day in Paradise
"1) as most people familiar with condoms would recognize, when a condom's in full use it's quite frequently dark and/or not exactly exposed to where you can see it."
BOOM - my invention is to make the colors glow in the dark. Hold on while I call my patent lawyer...
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes, purple for HPV, and blue for syphilis
SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
They should start small and do a condom that is also a pregnancy test.
Is the colour meant to display for the condition of the wearer (which could be a display in advance of coitus) or for the condition of the partner (which is a display after coitus)?
Folks seem to be focusing on the partner's condition here. I think this idea would be far more valuable to the partner. Here put this on and we'll - hang on - blue plus yellow means clamidia and the clap - sorry fella - no joy for you. Warning of impending risk is far better than - hey wow, she's was really loaded up with bugs.
A raincoat will keep you dry in the rain, checking the weather may keep you from going out in the rain in the first place.
If only we could fall into a woman's arms without falling into her hands
No, it's not. John Q. Public is not constrained by HIPAA. If you tell me your medical information, I can tell anyone I want.
No, the story is absolutely true, it's just that nobody reads the story. Some teenagers won a contest for an idea. They have no product, no technology, etc. It's not a thing, it's just a group of kids who said "Wouldn't it be cool if..." and won a prize.
Big time. Don't you see? "Hey, I'm working on my senior project and well I was wondering if you could help me out. I just need..."
Get it? "Students" This is just a scam to get laid! Saw it coming a mile away!
If you turn it inside out do you get a different rainbow? Students create Everlasting Cockblocker...
but I submitted the story because I knew the comments would be gold. Like, "taste the rainbow".
I'm kind of surprised at how liberally my submission was altered, though. I see a lot of boneheaded mistakes in the summaries here, now I wonder how many come from the editors.
Wah! Wah! Testing is too hard. Fuck that.
Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
Why colors? I would like one that turns to strawberry flavor for $STD.
Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
This makes about as much sense as giving Popular Mechanics a lifetime achievement award for their invention of the flying car.
I know I'm late to the bash party. And yeah, every once in a while a kiddy award for an idea gets onto slashdot. http://hardware.slashdot.org/s...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification
Doctors and nurses want sex too....
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
Skipping all the questions about whether this is possible, or inspired by "rainbow parties", or whatever....
STDs tend to be spread by unprotected sex. A condom isn't a guarantee, but in general somebody who uses condoms regularly is going to taking a lot less risk. This means it would be targeted at people who don't need it nearly as bad as the people who wouldn't use it anyway.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
I liked this analysis http://www.forbes.com/sites/ta...
Tl; dr: it might work for some STDs but it would make the condom quite a bit thicker, and take too long for the result. For others, it's just not going to happen. Then, assuming the magic work, there's lots of reasons it's a bad idea, mostly having to do with the fact that there are people involved.
I doubt that. That'd be pretty useful information.
I never cease to be amazed at what you waste your time on.