THE Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a new batch of winners as part of its Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) initiative.
GCE grants fund to innovative ideas that pertain to global health and development problems. The current winning proposals delve on issues including development of the next generation condom, among others. Each of the 81 projects announced received US$100,000 in funding.
Winners from 14 countries were selected from more than 2,700 proposals, and each representing varied backgrounds and disciplines, including design professionals, health researchers, polymer engineers, entrepreneurs, and public-private coalitions.
The condom-related projects include Benjamin Strutt and a team from Cambridge Design Partnership in the UK who will design a male condom from composite material that will provide a universal fit and is designed to gently tighten during intercourse, enhancing sensation and reliability; and Willem van Rensburg of Kimbranox Ltd in South Africa will test a condom applicator, the Rapidom, which is designed for easy, technique-free application of male condoms. Kimbranox will test an applicator designed to be applied with one motion, thereby minimising interruption.