Low-Cost QCM Sensor System for Screening Semen Samples

Newton, Michael, Atherton, Shaun, Morris, Robert, Stanley, Simon, Evans, Carl, Hughes, David and McHale, Glen (2010) Low-Cost QCM Sensor System for Screening Semen Samples. Journal of Sensors, 2010 (326365). pp. 1-5. ISSN 1687-725X

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Abstract

Artificial insemination is a well-established part of modern agricultural practice. A viable semen sample is judged by the total number of spermatozoa (sperm) in the sample and the motility of the sperm. In this paper, we report the development of a reusable measurement cell and electronics for screening semen samples based on the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) and Universal Frequency to Digital Converter (UFDC-1) to produce a low-cost sensor system. After introducing the semen sample at one end of the measurement cell, sperm swim down a channel before causing a frequency change on the QCM. Data is presented that shows the different frequency changes using a commercial frequency counter caused by porcine semen samples, one two days old and one twenty one days old. Similar data is presented for a motile semen sample measurement using the low-cost UFDC-1.

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