Scientists in Australia are working to create a condom that feels just as good, if not better, compared to wearing nothing at all. With the use of brain scans, scientists hope to trick the brain into thinking that it feels like the real thing.
Science Alert reports that scientist from the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, are monitoring people's neurological responses to different materials so they can create a condom that feels like the real thing if not better.
Unlike most things, the condom has remained unchanged over the past century. Young people are not inspired to use those according to reports. The scientists hope to change that by making a new condom out of a new material called hydrogel which feels like a human skin.
Hydrogel doesn't just feel as good as skin scientists say, but it has also some amazing properties. According to them, the material can be infused with medications or chemicals that can prevent sexually transmitted diseases. It was also found to be thinner and stronger compared to latex.
"Hydrogels are mostly made of water, held together by molecular chains called polymers," said one of the researchers, Bridgette Engeler Newbury. "They have properties very close to human tissue, and can be tailored to feel a lot like skin."
Before creating the said condom, the researchers needed to know if indeed, their formula for hydrogel will deliver the best pleasure.
Using EEG scanners, the scientists observed the different responses we have to different materials. After which, they tested if they could trick people into thinking they are touching a real skin rather than hydrogel.
The participants only touched the materials using their hands.
"The EEG allows us to measure the brain's subconscious responses to the material, before the participant has even had the chance to decide whether or not they are going to respond positively to it," said Ciorciari. "This removes any bias or pre-existing influences from the equation."
The results show that people respond more favourably to hydrogel compared to latex. Scientists are exploring further what the participants specifically do not like in a material.
Do you believe that this will change the condom industry? Let us know your thoughts by leaving your comments below.
