Tag: roboicsi

SpOvum’s brief interaction with the Oasis team

SpOvum® got an opportunity to present its product portfolio to the team of Oasis fertility headed by Dr Krishna Chaitanya in the early morning of 29th November 2022. Though it was originally expected to be brief (about fifteen minutes) it got extended! Thanks to the intriguing interaction. Dr Krishna and Dr Gaurav had some wonderful questions and were appreciative of SpOvum’s initiative in bringing innovations to the A.R.T. space through Robotics, Automation, and AI.

SpOvum presented its flagship product – RoboICSI® and its ICSI workbench – RIWB™. The scope of automation and some of the key aspects that the innovation can address were discussed. The meeting happened virtually over the Zoom video communication platform. Further, SpOvum presented a live demo of the RoboICSI® gripper-holder, the workbench comprising the programmable manipulators, the Electronic aspiration system controlled by a click-based controller, and an indigenously designed button controller.

SpOvum wishes to engage with the Oasis fertility team to bring a synergetic approach to addressing some of the needs of the IVF ecosystem. As the vision statement of Oasis indicates “To be the trusted experts and leaders in providing evidence-based fertility treatments with compassion” SpOvum has found a common ground for a strong collaboration. Looking forward to a brighter future!


RoboICSI KISAR 2018

RoboICSI Team was at KISAR 2018 at Hotel Le Meridien, Bangalore on July 14th and 15th. There was a presentation and a two day stall at the venue for RoboICSI. A soft-demo setup of the device was kept at the stall were anyone could have a hands on experience of the device.

Many keen doctors, embryologists, clinicians, scientists visited the stall and used the device to get a feel of the product. Lot of questions, suggestions, feedback were given by the visitors.

There was also a quiz conducted by the team for the visitors. The quiz was very simple were they had to grade a given oocyte image. The idea behind the quiz was to make them understand that how easy it will be to grade the oocytes using the RoboICSI Dashboard. A special goody was given to all participants. It was a Petri dish holder, which also works in the same principle as RoboICSI – “compliant mechanism”.We had 20 enthusiastic visitors who took up the quiz.

RoboICSI team had a very attractive offer of providing the Dashboard free for first 6 months for all the visitors who had signed up with RoboICSI at KISAR. There was a total of 35 people who had signed up for the free Dashboard. The username passwords were sent to them the very next day.

These are few photos from the event:

Dr. Santosh Bhargav presenting about RoboICSI at KISAR 2018

 

RoboICSI Team at the stall

 

Dr. Ramnath Babu at the stall, explaining about the device

 

    

RoboICSI Soft-demo setup

 

RoboICSI goody for all quiz participants

 

 

 

 

Bio-mechanical Insights showing RoboICSI is superior to conventional ICSI

Positioning and pipette alignment problem

During ICSI aligning the holding pipette (HP) and injection pipette (IP) in a straight line is very important. Proper alignment is important to avoid the IP entering the oocyte in an angle relative to the HP. If this happens then it creates increased tension on the oolemma, which may lead to tearing of the oolemma. This also leads to miss-deposition of the spermatozoa into the oocyte. [2]

If both the pipettes are not in same plane the oocyte starts rotating off the holding pipette and as injection pipette passed into the oocyte, due to this, the oolemma stretches and it will be prone to rupture. [1]

A tension gets created if a bevel tip of holding pipette is not in parallel to bottom surface of the Petri dish, hence the holding of the oocyte becomes difficult, as the base of the dish avoid the oocyte from meeting squarely on to the holding pipette. [1]

RoboICSI: RoboICSI alignment can be controlled with few touch point actions and getting the RoboICSI Holder in plane with the IP is very easy. And during the alignment of RoboICSI Holder there is no fear of the consumable getting damaged. RoboICSI is highly robust compared to HP.

 

Suction pressure problem

To immobilize the oocyte firmly, air/oil suction is used, and a petite portion of the oocyte is repeatedly sucked into the holding pipette.[1]
This process creates tension in the membrane surrounding the oocytes and thus when an injection pipette is pushed against oolemma, the oocyte is prone to rupture. [1]

RoboICSI: This is a suction free type of immobilization.

A modification in existing holding pipette for promoting oocyte wound healing!!

New technique for mouse oocyte injection via a modified holding pipette by Lyu QF et.al . In this study, a holding pipette (HP) is modified to a trumpet-shaped opening for deeper injection into the oocyte as it is immobilized. [3]

This modified HP with trumpet-shaped opening with 45-55 micrometer ID at the end allows some zona and oolemma to be drawn into the trumpet, which provides more depth for insertion of injection pipette. The advantages of this type of modification are, they allow the oocyte membrane channel to stretch and naturally prolongs the time of extended oocyte membrane channel to return to its normal shape. As a result healing of wounded oolemma will be complete. [3]

Even in case of RoboICSI the holder is designed so that the oocyte is immobilized in such a manner that it provides more depth for deeper injection which has the same advantages as mentioned above.

 

Fertilization rate is higher when the sperm is deposited near the meiotic spindle

Fertilization rate is higher when the sperm is deposited near the meiotic spindle
Highest fertilization rate was found when sperm cells were injected adjacent to the meiotic spindle. It all depends on positioning of polar body relative to the opening of injection needle and this is obtained when the polar body is placed at 6’o clock position. [4]

Assumption: Immobilizing the oocyte using RoboICSI brings the polar body near to the sperm irrespective of position of polar body, either 6 or 12’o clock. When the oocyte injected from 3’o clock position, the deposition of sperm will be very near to the polar body compared to the conventional method.

 

Importance of cumulus and immobilizing the oocyte with cumulus

The percentage of embryos reaching to blastocyst stage in IVF is more compared to ICSI. Cumulus cells possess highly specialized trans-zonal cytoplasmic projections that pierce through zona pellucida and form gap junctions at their tips with the oocyte. This intimate association allows cumulus cells to fulfill vital roles, supporting the maturation of the oocyte and relaying endocrine and other environmental signals. According to studies performed with the oocytes possessing cumulus clusters, these type of oocytes showed significant increase in blastocyst formation. [5]

Assumption: RoboICSI can seamlessly immobilize the oocytes with cumulus and helps in injection.

References:

  1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267979757_Oocyte_Degeneration_Subsequent_Intracytoplasmic_Sperm_Injection_ICSI
  2. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/205891581000100207
  3. https://www.rbmojournal.com/article/S1472-6483(10)00458-X/fulltext
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10527988
  5. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/21/11/2972/2939480

Introduction to RoboICSI®

RoboICSI® is an award-winning device to assist the embryologist during IVF towards improving the outcomes, thus helping infertile couples bear a child. Based on a novel design technique, RoboICSI® is a patent-pending device that will help bridge the gap between the demand and supply in the explosively growing infertility industry. It will be a Made-in-India device that will be a pioneer, offering several features for the First time in the World.

It is a smart device, which helps the embryologist to perform ICSI in an enhanced manner. RoboICSI® substitutes the holding pipette that is being used in the conventional ICSI.

Here is a quick overview about RoboICSI

 

Benefits of RoboICSI®

  • Novel micro-manipulation

RoboICSI® offers a novel way to grasp cells using bio compatible material, which offer several advantages compared to the traditional micro-pipette aspiration-based immobilization

  • Gentle handling of cells

RoboICSI® ’s intelligent passive force-limiting technology ensures that the oocyte that is grasped is not damaged even if the embryologist makes a mistake

  • Quick and hassle-free installation

RoboICSI® is designed and developed keeping in mind the current devices that are used in ICSI workbenches. RoboICSI®’s plug-and-play system allows the user to quickly plug the system, perform and the auto-calibration and get started in about a day

  • Easy onboarding and seamless integration

RoboICSI® is easy to learn, which allows clinics to add it into their workflow without much hassle

  • Eliminates subjectivity while handling oocytes

Performs routine tasks and reduces fatigue.Augments the embryologists and maximizes their potentials

  • Enables the IVF clinics to handle more volumes

Advantages of RoboICSI® over conventional ICSI

  • Easy-to-handle

RoboICSI® is a robust device. It replaces the use of pneumatic pump, making it easier to handle with an easy-to-use and intuitive control.

  • Not-fragile

The conventional ICSI holding pipette is made of glass and has a tendency to break while handling the oocytes. RoboICSI® replaces the glass pipette with a Holder made up of silicone elastomer, which is not fragile.

  • Automated

Data is collected automatically throughout the process.

  • Gentle manipulation of oocytes

The Holder which is designed to be soft, ensures no oocytes are harmed during the ICSI procedure (even inadvertently).

Pain Markers

Respect the hormones

Mom-To-Be:

There is a lot of procedure that has to be followed before the ICSI process. In the initial stage female are given drugs to boost the egg supply by taking fertility hormone called as gonadotrophin. This increases the number of eggs produced. Some women experience ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) because of the hormone stimulating drug.

If the eggs are produced in an increased amount this will lead to low ovarian reserve. RoboICSI can predict the egg state and stability at the oocyte retrieval stage. This will reduce the dosage of the hormones given to female for increasing the egg count. Eggs collected can also be reduced as we will know the properties of eggs way before the ICSI process.

Quicker way to ace ICSI

Novice embryologists:

The conventional ICSI needs a lot of patience and dexterity. A novice embryologists find it challenging to fix and align the holding pipette. They may tend to break the holding pipette which is made up of glass if it is got closer to the ICSI plate. The precise plane should be achieved without breaking the holding pipette. The broken pieces will be hazardous if found in the ICSI plate. The entire plate has to be then disposed which will also contain the eggs.

 

The amount of pressure given to hold the egg is also a very important parameter. If too much pressure is given then the eggs might get damaged or ICSI will fail if there is no enough pressure applied.

 

RoboICSI is made up of a soft and bio compatible material that will be in contact with the eggs during the ICSI process. It is a not fragile which will not break even if it touches the ICSI plate which makes the embryologist to on-board easily with RoboICSI.

Say Bye to the suction pump which controls the pressure in conventional ICSI because RoboICSI works on a NO-PRESSURE method. Even if more actuation than required is given to grip the eggs there will be no damage caused to the eggs which has been proven by RoboICSI.

Spend Less, Earn More

IVF Clinics:

RoboICSI will be replacing the entire left manipulator with more efficient and compatible setup for a much lower cost compared to the present manipulators in clinics. Thus, will reduce the money spent by the clinics on purchasing the manipulators.

RoboICSI can handle more samples in fewer time which means more cases for a day.