Low-cost QCM sensor system for screening semen samples

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. copyright © 2010 michael i. newton et al.