Wei-Lin Chu
Tanzania
Research Article
A Sperm Testing Device on a Liquid Crystal and Polymer Composite Film
Author(s): Yi-Hsin Lin, Ting-Yu Chu, Wei-Lin Chu, Yu-Shih Tsou, Ya-Ping Chiu, Ya-Ping Chiu, Farn Lu, Wan-Chen Tsai and Shin-Tson WuYi-Hsin Lin, Ting-Yu Chu, Wei-Lin Chu, Yu-Shih Tsou, Ya-Ping Chiu, Ya-Ping Chiu, Farn Lu, Wan-Chen Tsai and Shin-Tson Wu
Developing a handy sperm testing device is important since sperm quality is a significant factor for fertility potential. In this paper, we demonstrate a sperm testing device based on a switchable surface, a liquid crystal and polymer composite film (LCPCF). The wettability of LCPCF is electrically switchable due to the electrically tunable orientations of liquid crystal molecules. In experiments, two motions of a semen drop on switchable surface of LCPCF are observed: back-and-forth stretches and collapses of semen drops. The better quality spermatozoa results in back-and-forth stretches of a semen drop on LCPCF; otherwise, the semen drop collapses. The motility and concentration of semen can also be sensed by the stretch distance and collapse distance of semen drops, respectively. The mechanism of back-and-forth stretches of semen drops results from fertile sperms swimming against t.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2157-7439.S9-001