Skip to main content

FDA approval granted for DIY home sperm-counting tech

2015 Health 2.0 Fall Conference - Sandstone Diagnostics Demo
Load. Spin. Read. Those are the simple instructions for a portable centrifuge for home sperm counting which received FDA approval last month, as reported by The Verge. If you need to know your sperm count but don’t feature going to a doctor’s office or clinic to get it done, starting this fall you’ll be able to do it yourself in the privacy of your own home. The Trak home sperm count system, developed by Sandstone Diagnostic, has just received FDA approval for sale and will be available in October 2016 for $160.

Fertility questions are often directed to women first, but sperm production is a factor for many of the couples who have difficulty conceiving. With Trak, men can run multiple sperm counts with the portable centrifuge and supplied materials. There is also a smartphone app (the company CEO has decided to call it “a tool”) that records your sperm count and suggests lifestyle changes that can increase sperm count and health.

Embracing its masculine side, the company has given its informational website the name Don’t Cook Your Balls, and it bills the site as “A Light-Hearted Guide to Men’s Sexual and Reproductive Health.” It features articles about fertility, men’s health, sexuality, and dangers and threats to man parts.

At the 2015 Health 2.0 Conference Sandstone Diagnostic’s CEO Greg Sommer presented Trak and even recounted his personal transformation story. When he was trying to lose some weight he decided to see how that would affect his sperm count. In 100 days Sommer lost 15 pounds, and in the process doubled his sperm count. He further mentioned that he and his wife are now expecting their second child, to  the applause of those in attendance.

Sandstone Diagnostics’ materials provide some laughs, but fertility concerns are a serious and important matter. If the Trak system can help you improve your sperm count or discover that you have an issue that might require a doctor’s office visit after all, it’s worth the investment.

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
ClipDart is an on-demand barber app aimed at people of color
ClipDart founder, Kyle Parker.

It’s funny how we can take certain things for granted, like haircuts. Over the course of more than 50 years of living in different cities, different neighborhoods, or even visiting different countries, not once have I ever worried about whether I could find someone who could cut my hair the way I liked. Then again, I’m white.

But if you’re a person of color, it can be an entirely different experience. That’s what Kyle Parker discovered when he left his hometown of Chicago in 2013 to attend Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, population 9,031. While 24% of Grinnell College’s students identify themselves as people of color, fewer than 10% of residents of the city of Grinnell would say the same of themselves.

Read more
Circular confirms its $259 smart ring is coming to the U.S.
best wearables of ces 2022 circular ring

The Circular smart ring is finally going to be available for pre-order on Sunday, February 27, via the Circular website and will cost $259. The wearable tech will be available for presale in European countries (France, Germany, the U.K., and Italy,) the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Pre-orders will go live at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 27. Those who pre-order the smart ring should expect delivery between April and June 2022, according to a Circular press release.

Circular doesn't clarify what ring sizes will be available when presales go live, however, the company has said that seven sizes for both men and women will be available. Digital Trends has reached out for clarification on the available sizes, and will update this article when we hear back. The Circular smart ring also comes in four different colors that can be switched out with replaceable outer shells: Black, rose gold, silver, and gold.

Read more
How to take an ECG with your Apple Watch and see irregular heart notifications
ecg app apple watch

The ECG app is one of the most vital features of the Apple Watch, allowing you to see an electrocardiogram of your heart whenever you want. Along with this, the Apple Watch can notify you of irregular heart rhythms.

Read more