App Development for Measuring Seminal Quality of Bovine Sperm in situ

Concentration and mobility of spermatozoa in a seminal sample are two of the most important parameters during the evaluation of semen for animals of high genetic value. Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) is used in animal reproduction for the purpose of quickly and reliably assessing sperm quality. These systems allow the determination of the mobility and displacement characteristics of these cells, providing an objective methodology that surpasses the manual evaluation carried out by a trained observer. Members of the Image Processing Laboratory, within biologists specializing in animal reproduction, have developed a Sperm Motility Tracker software that allows sperm analysis comparable to any commercial CASA, from videos acquired through a phase contrast microscope. In this research work an application for mobile devices has been developed as a simplified version of this software. This app will use an incorporated magnifying glass-type accessory that analyzes semen quality in situ, without having to freeze and transfer the sample. The incorporation of this computerized support aims to attenuate the subjective factor of the seminal analysis and guarantee better correlation with the fertilizing capacity of the sperm.