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Researchers Develop App That Accurately Determines Sperm Quality (scientificamerican.com)
New submitter omaha393 writes: A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed a point-of-care microfluidic detector capable of determining sperm quality using the simple device and a standard smartphone. Typical male fertility screens require a team of trained laboratory professionals and a screening process taking days to weeks and incurring high costs. The alternative home sperm measuring kits rely on chemical probes and only give measurements of quantity, not quality.The new method offers an easier, cheaper approach, with processing time taking about 5 seconds with no sample processing or wash steps required. The team found their device meets WHO guidelines with 98% accuracy of sperm quality measurements and is comparable to clinical results. The new device uses 35 microliters of sample to accurately measure both concentration and motility at a manufacturing cost of less than $5 per device. The device must still undergo FDA evaluations before being available to consumers, and the technology has yet to be named. The results of the study were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Further reading: NPR, Ars Technica, Scientific American
Let's just fix this title. Researchers Develop [Smartphone Peripheral] That Accurately Determines Sperm Quality. There we go. Clearly, the companion app for this product is just some basic analysis and display. The real exciting part is an inexpensive peripheral that can do the job at a much lower barrier of entry.
I expect this to be added to a designer dating site immediately! Date the man of your dreams and know his sperm is good.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
A bit less than a mouthful.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Please? This drip and dribble of single techs to extend the smartphone is maddening. Just unify the blessed things and give everyone a medical tricorder already!
If we did have a fully integrated tricorder, it would legally be a medical device, and complex enough that it wouldn't earn FDA approval by any stardate that today's investors could envision. Drips and dribbles of single technologies, each one below the FDA radar, is the way to go.
Given the USA's severely screwed up pricing system for medical equipment, we can expect the list price for the $5 device to be around $500.
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5 seconds is pretty good. The old way took 1 to 9 months just to gauge the base effectiveness and final quality results could take decades of analysis.
the technology has yet to be named
In the light of recent app naming schemes, I propose:
- Jizzr
- MyLoad
- Cumcountify
Time to invest in screen protector manufacturers
Your sig here!
GP said "people on here can understand".
So that would be roughly "half a handful".
Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
Can we now have the online competition to name it: a) Spermulator b) Seed Spotter c) Jizz Detector d) Spunk Sensor e) Mayo Measure f) Love Butter Examiner
Can I introduce you to Theranos. They are a major reason that in 2012, the regulations were changed and diagnostic devices were required to get FDA approval. That is, one giant scam caused a regulation to come down and need to be imposed over everyone. I don't know how you missed it as it got a lot of coverage on Slashdot.
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