Smartphones in medicine

2017: Smartphones taught to fight male infertility

The new device, paired with a smartphone, is able to analyze the quality of the male seed and determine in a matter of seconds whether the person being studied suffers from infertility, reports The Guardian, citing data from American scientists.

There are over 45 million infertile couples around the world. In more than 40% of cases, difficulty conceiving is associated with poor male sperm quality.

Sperm Quality Analyzer

The technology, the description of which was published by the journal Science Translational Medicine, will simplify and reduce the cost of analyzing the seed, as well as make it possible to perform it at home.

We wanted to offer a solution that would make the male infertility test as simple and affordable as a home pregnancy test, "says one of the authors of the invention, Hadi Shafiee, doctor of engineering and medical department of the Boston clinic Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Typically, when men collect sperm analysis from a hospital, they often experience stress, awkwardness, despondency and frustration. Proposed new method allows to analyze video image of seminal fluid sample in less than five seconds.

The system invented by scientists consists of an optical nozzle connected to a smartphone and a disposable cartridge where a sample of seminal fluid is placed. After testing the device on 350 sperm samples at the Massachusetts Fertility Treatment Center, experts found that it is capable of detecting abnormalities with an accuracy of 98%.

At the same time, the cost of materials used by scientists for such testing was only $4.45.

According to the creators, with the help of their development, men will have a faster and more convenient way to monitor their reproductive function. By March 2017, the device is not available for sale and exists only in the form of a prototype.

Scientists intend to conduct additional tests before submitting documents for their invention to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).^[1]

2016: Introduced sperm analyzer using a smartphone

In December 2016, Medical Electronic Systems announced a device for the study of male seminal fluid at home. A device called Yo works in tandem with a smartphone. Read more here.

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