ORIGAMI Condoms: Hollywood's Best Kept Secret Is Revealed

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the most guarded projects in Hollywood over the last 7 years was not on the Harry Potter set or at the next episode of Breaking Bad. There has been a more closely guarded project with a development team a few blocks south of SONY Studios in a secured fortress, a former impenetrable, high security communications center in the non-descript, brick EDG building in Culver City, CA. The high security location required access by fingerprint and iris recognition systems, in addition to pass codes that changed every 24 hours. It's a place where surveillance cameras followed the research and development staff 24/7 while concept sketches, CAD drawings and rapid prototypes were routinely shredded and incinerated in order to contain the potential for news leaks.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130402/LA87783)

Why the intrigue and high drama with daily passcode changes, sworn allegiance, and confidentiality agreements? Why all the security measures and cameras in place?  Adjacent to the former MGM backlot where Dorothy and the Scarecrow strolled down the yellow brick road, a different type of Wizard has been at work with an innovative design team that has required a tight lipped (no pun intended) mandate about their work since 2005.

It was revealed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.impatientoptimists.org/Posts/2013/03/Reinventing-The-Condom), that the ORIGAMI Condom has been in development of the world's next generation condom.  The Gates Foundation noted that "Origami Condoms provides an excellent example of a private enterprise focused on new condom design to promote consistent use by emphasizing the sexual experience. The idea of a condom that men [and women] would prefer to no condom is a revolutionary idea, but we know more today about sexual function than at any time in the past, and advances in relevant disciplines such as neuroscience, vascular biology, urology, reproductive biology, materials science, and other fields can contribute to new and unconventional approaches."

Why the sudden interest in a next-gen condom? There are three primary reasons; 1. They were invented in 1918 for protection, not for pleasure, 2. Nobody liked using latex condoms then and nobody likes them now almost 100 years later, and 3. Condom use has diminished over the last two years (reasons 1 & 2). 

A near universal dissatisfaction with the old, rolled latex condom has marked the history of condom use since its creation. It's not that people are opposed to safer sex. Populations all over the planet support the concept of using protection for disease and for contraception. However, consumers are eager for a more pleasurable option and the time for a new concept is long overdue.

The latex condom has not had a significant structural design change since it was first developed.  The condom industry, now dominated by 4 major players, has not successfully leveraged new technologies for the normal design evolution of their product.  It is still made the same way with the same type of dip molding equipment it started with.  The issue is that people have never liked this form of protection and there was never an alternative choice available, until now. 

The ORIGAMI Condom is the first folded, non-rolled condom design. It is based on an accordion design so the condom can slip on instantly instead of struggling to unroll it like the old latex concept. The bellows-shaped ORIGAMI Condom provides a lubricated reciprocating motion inside the condom that simulates the sensation of 'sex without a condom', for both partners, like the real deal.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has decided to launch a competition for the long overdue, eagerly anticipated, next generation of condoms. The winner of their $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations may redefine how people all over the world will have sex in the very near future. This paradigm shift to a new type of condom will take some time, although the ORIGAMI people are quite advanced with their R&D and clinical trials. The Gates Foundation is also offering the winners of this design challenge the opportunity for a subsequent, Phase II award of $1M to complete research and bring the product to market as early as possible.

Idea submissions for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges award must be received by May 7, 2013. Will the ORIGAMI brand emerge as the recipient of this prestigious award? The announcement will be made by November 2013.

View more information and video demo at www.origamicondoms.com.

Media contact for additional information or requests for interviews with an ORIGAMI spokesperson, please contact Ray Chavez at: [email protected] or by telephone at 310-795-8222.

SOURCE ORIGAMI Condoms