DIY sperm test to hit the market this fall
By Meghana Keshavan,
STAT News
| 06. 20. 2016
A semen centrifuge is the newest direct-to-consumer fertility device on the market. The Trak, a desktop gadget that measures a man’s sperm count, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this month for consumer use.
The device, developed by Bay Area startup Sandstone Diagnostics, runs on AA batteries, costs $159.99, and even syncs with your phone. It’s slated to ship directly to consumers this fall.
Men use a dropper to deposit a sample of their ejaculate into a small well in the device. Powered by a small motor, the Trak quickly spins the semen so that the sperm cells settle on the bottom. The device then simply gauges the level of sperm cells in the sample.
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