Believe it or not, a group of 13- and 14-year old students from Isaac Newton Academy in Ilford, Essex in London was able to come up with an invention that could dramatically reduce cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI).
The pupils named Muaz Nawaz, 13, Daanyaal Ali, 14, and Chirag Shah, 14 wanted to make detecting STI “safer than ever before” without having to undergo invasive tests. This why they incorporated a built-in indicator on condoms that changes colour depending on the strain of bacteria present to detect harmful STIs such as syphilis and chlamydia.
“We created the S.T.EYE as a new way for STI detection to help the future of the next generation.We wanted to make something that make 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,” Ali said.
The revolutionary condom dubbed as S.T. EYE turns yellow if someone has herpes, purple for human papillomavirus, green for chlamydia, and blue for syphilis giving users peace of mind.
The team of young students bagged the first prize for Health at TeenTech Awards, a competition encouraging 11- to 16-year-old up-and-coming inventors to come up with inventions that will help the world.
“We encourage students to take their ideas out of the classroom by putting them face-to-face with industry professionals, helping to open their eyes to the real potential of their ideas,” said Maggie Philbin, TeenTech’s founder and chief executive.
The kids won £1,000 and a trip to the Buckingham Palace.
Although the condom is still a concept, many are hoping that it will be available in the market soon.
Aside from S.T. EYE, other inventions that made waves in the competition include an electronic tap that would manage water supplies in developing countries and shoes that will allow users to charge electrical items while walking.
