mars 2020

PACMan - Portable device for fertility analysis

Male infertility is an increasingly worrying reality, as confirmed by recent studies. Currently, male infertility tests are carried out in specialised laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art, bulky, and expensive equipment. Performed by qualified personnel, they are time-consuming and costly.

In livestock, artificial insemination, although expensive depending on the species, is the predominant method. As a result, veterinarians would like to be able to guarantee the quality of products supplied to their livestock farmer clients through a rapid and inexpensive “on-site” test.

The aim of this project is to design a low-cost, portable device that can be used outside of laboratory conditions to perform essential measurements of human and animal semen. The technology developed must guarantee standardised, reliable, rapid analysis that meets current standards, thereby making it possible to perform a spermogram directly in a doctor's office during routine consultations or, for veterinarians, on the farm or in the field.

To ensure minimum cost and accessibility, the device will only include the optical, mechanical, and electronic components necessary for acquiring microscopic images. It will be accompanied by a mobile application on which image preprocessing and analysis will be performed. It will also allow the user to control the device and guide them through the image acquisition process.

Conferences