ASHLEY HALL: The software giant Bill Gates is offering $100,000 in start-up funding to the person who can put pleasure back into protection.

The modern condom hasn't had much technological improvement in the last 50 years, and Bill Gates reckons it's time for an upgrade.

While the initiative has been welcomed by sexual health workers and condom manufacturers, it's also copped some criticism.

Kumi Taguchi reports.

KUMI TAGUCHI: Bill Gates reckons there's a problem with the condom and that it's time to revamp the rubber. Mr Gates is offering the money through the global health wing of his philanthropic foundation.

Stephen Ward is from Grand Challenges in Global Health, and spoke to The World Today from Seattle.

STEPHEN WARD: One of the topics that comes up a lot when we talk about condoms in the global health arena is condom negotiation and this is the challenge of women who want to protect themselves from HIV or from pregnancy having to convince their partner that they should be using a condom.

KUMI TAGUCHI: One drawback for many men using condoms consistently is decreased pleasure and a decision to go without is often made at the last minute.

Stephen Ward says there needs to be a re-think around what drives behaviour.

STEPHEN WARD: People can suitably understand that condoms will prevent them from HIV and unplanned pregnancy but the value you might attach to that might be different if it also provided enhanced sexual pleasure.

KUMI TAGUCHI: How to sell the safe sex message continues to challenge condom manufacturers and global health organisations.

Fear worked in the 1980s with Australia's Grim Reaper campaign.

VOICEOVER (extract from Grim Reaper advertisement): At first only gays and IV drug users were being killed by AIDS but now we know every one of us could be devastated by it.

KUMI TAGUCHI: But a generation later sexually transmitted infections, or STIs are soaring, especially among young people.

Chlamydia rates have quadrupled in the last decade and HIV rates both here and abroad are still high.

Nicole Hillier is the director of sales and marketing at Australian condom manufacturer, Ansell.

NICOLE HILLIER: Twenty nearly 30 years now since the Grim Reaper campaign and where we saw huge levels of condom use increase. You know, we need to also work more with the Government on encouraging condom usage throughout Australia and obviously other parts of the world.

KUMI TAGUCHI: Condom sales have increased at about the same rate as population growth.

But usage among young people is low even though education and awareness is high.

Nicole Hillier again.

NICOLE HILLIER: They actually don't want to imply that they think their partner may have an STI or that there is something wrong with them.

KUMI TAGUCHI: Female condoms are also available but they're not easy to use and are substantially more expensive than the male version.

Deborah Bateson is the medical director for Family Planning New South Wales.

DEBORAH BATESON: There's a bit of room for improvement there in their design. They can make a bit of a rustling noise, they're a little bit expensive.

KUMI TAGUCHI: Condom manufacturers say they need to pitch their product as a way to make sex better, not just safer.

Thinner condoms are becoming more popular and makers are looking into non-latex materials like polyisoprene.

Dr Bateson again.

DEBORAH BATESON: They transmit body heat better for instance. They may enhance sexual pleasure in other ways of course, you know, there is all sorts of you know, surfaces, all these sorts of different technologies that can be used.

KUMI TAGUCHI: The New Generation Condom Initiative has received some criticism. It's been labelled "pervy" by some while others say it trivialises safe-sex messages.

Apple has also been made fun of, with feedback on a forum suggesting the new product be called the iPoke.

But Stephen Wade says dialogue around sexual health needs to change.

STEPHEN WADE: It's really unfortunate that we can't seem to talk about sexual and reproductive health without talking about sexual experience and sexual enjoyment and I think that the dialogue really needs to be open to that.

ASHLEY HALL: Stephen Ward from Bill Gates' Grand Challenges in Global Health, ending that report from Kumi Taguchi.