Surabaya – Increasingly advanced technology pushed Dr. I Gede Susrama Mas Diyasa S.T., M.T., from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) Electrical Engineering Department to research human spermatozoa for his doctoral dissertation. Starting from his experience of sperm quality-testing taking several days, the research was able to decrease the time required to approximately four hours.
Current issues surrounding sperm analysis are caused by four things: equipment, expert ability speed of observation, and the high price of equipment. “Based on these four elements, sperm examination results can differ from one place to another,” said the doctor, who received his undergraduate degree from Institut Teknologi Adhi Tama Surabaya (ITATS).
Human spermatozoa examinations can be done microscopically and macroscopically. Macroscopically, examinations test for volume, smell, viscosity, color, pH, and liquefaction. From these tests, it can be determined whether or not there are any abnormalities. “Macroscopic attributes include motility, density, and morphology,” said the June 19, 1970, born man.
Diyasa’s research contributed to finding kinematic spermatozoa analysis variables through spermatozoa tracking and determining active sperm trajectory formulations. “(It) can determine abnormalities in spermatozoa movement based on trajectories with linear regression and m-frame difference,” said the doctor.
The ITS Master of Technology Management alumnus stated that from the research results the findings would be identified and then validated through labeling based on video footage of spermatozoa movement. From those results, the movement of the sperm was determined to resemble a parabola. “The speed of the spermatozoa could be determined and standardized.”
According to the doctor, in one research result, from eight spermatozoa, four had above-average speeds, meaning that spermatozoa movement could be classified in progressive and nonprogressive categories, alongside with motility categories. “With that, it could be determined which spermatozoa were normal and which abnormal,” he said.
Diyasa concluded that the positional spermatozoa movement taken from tracking could be identified from movement patterns, based on a positional distance against a linear regression line, while motility didn’t rely on speed. “Hopefully, in the future, this technique can be implemented publicly.” (ITS Public Relations)