In the heart of Indonesia, a groundbreaking development is poised to revolutionize the way we assess ram fertility, with potential ripples extending into the energy sector. Prabaswara I Dewa Gede Wicaksana, a researcher from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science at IPB University, has led a team to create a compact, portable device that could change the game for farmers and energy producers alike.
The device, based on the versatile ESP32 microcontroller, is designed to estimate ram spermatozoa concentration using light absorbance. It’s a simple yet ingenious setup: a WS2812 LED shines light through a semen sample in an Eppendorf tube, and a BH1750 sensor measures the light transmittance. The result is a rapid, accurate assessment of sperm concentration, crucial for evaluating ram fertility.
“Accurate and rapid evaluation of sperm concentration is critical for assessing ram fertility, particularly under field conditions where laboratory facilities are limited,” Wicaksana explains. The device’s portability and ease of use make it an ideal tool for on-site semen quality assessment, reducing the time required for analysis and minimizing the risk of sperm quality degradation due to delayed analysis.
The implications for the agricultural sector are significant. With a strong negative correlation between sperm concentration and light absorbance (R² = 0.9461), the device has been proven accurate in both calibration tests and field trials. In a study involving 10 Garut rams, the ESP32-based device showed no statistically significant difference (p = 0.5816) compared to the standard counting method, confirming its reliability.
But how does this translate to the energy sector? The answer lies in the potential for increased efficiency and productivity in livestock farming, which can lead to a more sustainable and secure food supply. As the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for energy and resources. By improving the efficiency of livestock reproduction, we can contribute to a more sustainable future.
The device’s small size (<1 kg), battery operation, and low production cost (