Autonomous Insemination in an Intelligent Automated In Vitro Fertilization and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Platform
A method for automated ICSI includes receiving at least one droplet containing an egg in a dish placed on a stage. The method includes using an artificial intelligence/machine learning system (AI/ML system) and an imaging system to detect a zona pellucida. The imaging system includes a microscopy system, a camera system, and a lighting system. The method includes holding the egg using a robotic microtool and lowering a robotic pipettor into the droplet. The method includes using the AI/ML system and imaging system to determine an area at which to hold the egg and positioning the robotic microtool to that area. The method includes using the AI/ML system and imaging system to instruct the robotic microtool to apply negative pressure to hold the egg to the robotic pipettor. The method includes using the AI/ML system and imaging system to determine a target location where zona ablation should be performed.
1 - 2 . (canceled)
3 . A system comprising:
a stage configured to receive a droplet containing an egg that includes a zona pellucida;
an imaging system configured to capture digital images of the stage;
a robotic microtool configured to:
enter the droplet, and
retain the egg;
an artificial intelligence/machine learning system (AI/ML system) configured to, using the imaging system:
detect the zona pellucida of the egg,
assess a thickness of the zona pellucida,
determine a target location at which to perform zona ablation,
determine an ablation action based on the target location, wherein a depth of the ablation action is based on the thickness, and
define a sperm injection path into the egg; and
a laser configured to produce the ablation action to at least partially ablate the zona pellucida at the target location.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the AI/ML system is configured to, using the imaging system, determine a holding area on the egg, and
the robotic microtool is configured to position an end of the robotic microtool at the holding area and retain the egg.
5 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the robotic microtool includes a robotic pipettor, and
the robotic pipettor is configured to apply negative pressure to retain the egg.
6 . The system of claim 3 wherein the AI/ML system is configured to determine, based on the thickness, an intensity and radius for the ablation action to facilitate an entry of a needle through the zona pellucida without distorting the egg.
7 . The system of claim 3 further comprising a needle configured to inject a sperm, along the sperm injection path, into the egg.
8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the needle includes a bend of a specified angle at a specified distance from a tip of the needle.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein:
the needle includes a spike at the tip,
the specified angle is 30 degrees, and
the specified distance is approximately 1 mm.
10 . The system of claim 7 wherein injecting the sperm includes moving the needle forward into the egg along the sperm injection path.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein moving the needle includes moving the needle at a controlled speed and stopping once the needle reaches an end point of the sperm injection path.
12 . The system of claim 10 wherein injecting the sperm includes depositing the sperm from the needle into the egg.
13 . The system of claim 12 wherein depositing the sperm includes applying positive pressure in the needle to deposit the sperm in the egg.
14 . The system of claim 12 wherein depositing the sperm includes confirming, using the AI/ML system, that the sperm is out of the needle.
15 . The system of claim 12 wherein injecting the sperm includes, upon confirmation that the sperm is out of the needle, moving the needle out of the egg.
16 . The system of claim 3 further comprising:
a piezoelectric pulse generator configured to break a membrane of the egg using a set of piezoelectric pulses,
wherein the AI/ML system is configured to determine a number of pulses in the set of piezoelectric pulses.
17 . The system of claim 3 wherein the stage is configured to hold a dish that receives the droplet.
18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the stage is configured to heat the dish.
19 . The system of claim 3 wherein the imaging system includes a microscopy system.
20 . The system of claim 3 wherein the imaging system includes a lighting system.
21 . The system of claim 3 wherein:
the stage is a microscope stage; and
the imaging system includes a camera system and at least one of an inverted microscope, a stereomicroscope, a movable microscope, an optical coherence tomography device, an optical coherence microscopy device, and a lens-less microscope.
22 . The system of claim 3 wherein the imaging system is configured to produce at least one image having a mixed reality in which simulated imagery and real-life imagery are combined.