OPTICAL DETECTION & MEASUREMENT OF CONDOM DEFECTS

THE RESEARCH IS DIRECTED TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEANS OF OPTICALLY DETECTING AND MEASURING DEFECTS IN CONDOMS. BASIC MEASUREMENTS INDICATE THAT OPTICAL INSPECTION IS MORE SENSITIVE AND PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION AS TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFECTS THAN CURRENTLY USED INSPECTION INSTRUMENTATION EMPLOYING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ENTIRE CONDOM. THE OPTICAL INSPECTION TECHNIQUES THAT WILL BE EXPLORED IN THIS PHASE I EFFORT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPTICAL OPACITY OF LATEX AND RELATED MATERIALS TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE DIFFERENCE IN OPTICAL TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL HAVING HOLES AND OR THIN AREAS AS COMPARED TO WHOLE MATERIAL. THE AIDS EPIDEMIC HAS MADE THE ELIMINATION OF DEFECTIVE CONDOMS FROM REACHING THE CONSUMER ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT. AND WHILE THE EMPHASIS OF THE STUDY WILL BE ON CONDOMS THE RESEARCH WILL BE RELEVANT TO DEVELOPING INSPECTION INSTRUMENTATION FOR OTHER PROPHYLACTIC PRODUCTS SUCH AS GLOVES. THE RESEARCH IS DIRECTED TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEANS OF OPTICALLY DETECTING AND MEASURING DEFECTS IN CONDOMS. BASIC MEASUREMENTS INDICATE THAT OPTICAL INSPECTION IS MORE SENSITIVE AND PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION AS TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFECTS THAN CURRENTLY USED INSPECTION INSTRUMENTATION EMPLOYING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ENTIRE CONDOM. THE OPTICAL INSPECTION TECHNIQUES THAT WILL BE EXPLORED IN THIS PHASE I EFFORT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPTICAL OPACITY OF LATEX AND RELATED MATERIALS TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE DIFFERENCE IN OPTICAL TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL HAVING HOLES AND OR THIN AREAS AS COMPARED TO WHOLE MATERIAL. THE AIDS EPIDEMIC HAS MADE THE ELIMINATION OF DEFECTIVE CONDOMS FROM REACHING THE CONSUMER ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT. AND WHILE THE EMPHASIS OF THE STUDY WILL BE ON CONDOMS THE RESEARCH WILL BE RELEVANT TO DEVELOPING INSPECTION INSTRUMENTATION FOR OTHER PROPHYLACTIC PRODUCTS SUCH AS GLOVES.