Scientists from the University of Wollongong are designing ultra-durable condoms they claim could feel even better than nothing at all . The contraceptive is made with hydrogel , a strong and flexible solid which can be made to feel and act like human tissue . The groundbreaking design will eventually offer functions like self-lubrication , topical drug delivery , and even electric conductivity , dramatically changing the capacity of male contraception , reports Science Alert . Scientists from the University of Wollongong are designing ultra-durable condoms they claim could feel even better than nothing at all . The contraceptive is made with hydrogel , a strong and flexible solid which can be made to feel and act like human tissue . The Australian team behind the design , led by materials scientist Robert Gorkin , won a grant for a next generation condom in 2013 , giving them access to US $ 100,000 to use on research . 'Our original idea was just to try to prove that an original material could replace latex , ' Mr Gorkin said . 'We were starting from scratch , we had an idea that these new materials would have the same properties as rubber with a nicer feel , but we were n't sure if they had the right properties for a condom . ' 'The early indications are that the materials are strong enough and actually do prevent against the transfer of small biological molecules , ' he said . Robert Gorkin , the leader of the research team responsible for the design , said : 'If you make them so pleasurable that people ca n't wait to put them on , then more people will use them ' The team won a grant for a next generation condom in 2013 , giving them access to US $ 100,000 to use on research . Hydrogel has been around for decades , but it has risen to prominence in recent years , after being used in prosthetics for the likes of eye implants and blood vessels . The researchers now plan to partner with Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne to conduct biometric testing to measure the bodies response to the material . 'We 'll be able to look at brain activity to see whether it really feels better than latex , ' said Gorkin . 'If you make them so pleasurable that people ca n't wait to put them on , then more people will use them , and we can hopefully stop the spread of disease . It 's as simple as that . ' Hydrogel ( pictured ) has been around for decades , but it has risen to prominence in recent years , after being used in prosthetics for the likes of eye implants and blood vessels . The researchers plan to conduct biometric testing to measure the bodies response to the material . Gorkin is hoping to design the product to accommodate for the around the cultural and social needs for birth control . 'It 's a branding exercise as much as a scientific one , ' said Gorkin . ' A material alone ca n't change the way we look at sex , but we believe it can definitely help . '
The design comes from research at the University of technology . They won a US $ 100,000 award for a next generation condom in 2012 . It 's made from a strong and flexible polymer called hydrogel . The groundbreaking design will offer functions like self - lubrication . The scientists will run biometric tests to determine the pleasurability .