A designer has come up with a 'new way of male contraception, which sees the user dunk their testicles in a pool of water so ultrasound waves can temporarily halt the regeneration of sperm.
The COSO device has been dreamt up by German design graduate Rebecca Weiss, who won the prestigious James Dyson Award for the product.
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The ultrasound-based, reversible and hormone-free male contraceptive device' temporarily 'modifies spermatogenesis', and can be used at home after being set with the help of a doctor according to testicle size.
To use the gadget, the user simply fills it up with water and turns it on. Once it's reached the operating temperature, they then pop their testicles inside it to be gently zapped with ultrasonic waves.
An explanation on the James Dyson Award website says: "The water is heated up to operating temperature. COSO is ready for ultrasound treatment.
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"The user spreads his legs and sits down to place the testicles in the device. The ultrasound process continues for a few minutes. The remaining time can be monitored in real-time via the COSO app.
"After the treatment, the device switches off automatically."
Speaking about the inspiration behind the design, Weiss said: "About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer precursor cervix due to contraception with the pill.
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"After that, hormonal contraception was no longer an option. When my partner and I were looking for an alternative method, we became aware of the lack of male contraceptives.
"The problem is not unique to me personally. It affects many others as well. This is also evident in the current growing public discussion about the lack of contraceptive alternatives.
"So I decided to deal with the development of a new contraceptive approach for men in my master thesis in Industrial Design at the Technical University in Munich."
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The procedure has thus far only been applied to animals, with the short-term development steps for COSO including a 'functional prototype to test the technical feasibility with the required components'.
A 'high-fidelity full-scale prototype' is also 'targeted', with Weiss saying the product needs financial support for clinical trials in order to launch COSO as a contraceptive, which she believes has the potential to offer 'socially relevant added value'.
Featured Image Credit: COSOTopics: News, Technology