Canned Contraception

Masculan, Goliath, Pullitt…the names may vary, but traditional condoms all had one thing in common. Someone had to fish them out of the package and put them on. But if an idea by the German company Vinico World of Condoms pans out, that will be changing. The firm is hoping to market a spray-on condom.

Jan Vinzenz Krause, who's listed on the firm's Web site as the director of the project and a member of the "Institute for Condom Consulting," said contraception from a can offers a range of advantages. There's no need to worry about spray-on condoms being damaged by rough transport or excessive sunlight, they're quick on the draw, and their size matches each individual user's specific physiognomy.

"No slippage, no pinching, just pure fun," Krause wrote.

The condom consists of a mixture of natural rubber and water and is applied by using what looked like a normal aerosol can. The rubber and water vulcanize at room temperature. And the company claims that after usage the rubber then breaks down into humus, easing the sometimes awkward issue of post-coital disposal.

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Last year the Chinese brought out what was claimed to be the world's first aerosol condom, but it was for women, whereas Vinico's product is, um, aimed at men.

It's currently undergoing tests to determine whether it's safe, and in what sounds like an instance of adolescent male wish-fulfillment, the company is looking for people who are willing to try out the spray. Men whose anatomy falls at the extreme short or long end of the physical spectrum are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications are anonymous. Kraus hopes the test results will be positive enough that spray-on condoms can hit the market in the summer of 2008.

For prospective guinea pigs who are unsure whether they fit the physical profile, the Web site offers a size guide and a virtual tape measure.

If this is not just a hoax, the world of bumps and studs, banana flavors and strawberry scents, may be just a few steps away from becoming one curiosity richer. Now if they could just come up with something to deal with feelings of regret the morning after.