Sperm Detection
Accelerate Your Workflow with AI-Powered Sperm Detection
The following customizations were most favored by our clients:
- Leveraging artificial intelligence through Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) for sperm cell identification in forensic samples.
- Automated, unattended detection of sperm cells in routine forensic examinations.
- Efficient review features to streamline case processing and reduce backlogs.
- Secure storage of images and detected sperm cell coordinates, enabling rapid relocation on the slide.
- Robust record-keeping with reliable protection of data and analysis parameters.
The manual microscopic examination of forensic evidence in suspected sexual assault cases is time-consuming and prone to errors. Furthermore, it often lacks consistent documentation of findings. This form of analysis frequently adds to the increasing backlogs faced by many laboratories, causing significant delays in resolving such cases.
Our proposed Metafer-based workflow for forensic sperm detection, implemented and validated by users worldwide, leverages artificial intelligence with Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to detect forensic sperm cells, even in challenging conditions such as degradation, concealment, or absence of tails. Metafer supports unattended scanning of up to 800 slides, prioritizes samples, and includes barcode reading functionality. Equipped with Neon technology, this routine ensures secure data handling, offering full traceability, multi-level user accounts, and protection against unauthorized modifications. It produces gallery images with quality scores and precise coordinates, streamlining efficient review and retrieval under the microscope, and enabling seamless transfer to external microdissection systems.
Metafer is widely used by institutions around the world to analyze routine forensic samples stained with common methods like Christmas Tree stain, Baecchi stain, and H&E. If your laboratory uses any of these staining techniques, the workflow can typically be implemented with minimal modifications. For samples prepared with alternative methods, we offer services to tailor Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to meet your specific requirements.
The answer to this question depends on your workflow and the extent of time and effort you have already dedicated to manual microscopy. With Metafer, sperm searches can be automated and run unattended, even overnight or on weekends. However, a forensic expert still has to review, verify, and assess the results afterward. Informal feedback from users indicates that implementing automatic sperm detection has significantly helped to reduce the backlog of unresolved cases.
Systems operated with our Metafer software can be configured to meet the requirements of laboratories of different sizes. Various add-ons are available for small, medium, and large laboratories. If capacity requires 24/7 microscopy operation with the ability to prioritize urgent slides, an automated slide feeder can be added to the scanning system. This allows for unattended slide scanning overnight or on weekends. With a scalable capacity from 8 up to 800 slides being automatically scanned, we support our customers in high-throughput applications.
Negative cases can be challenging to confirm, as there is always a chance that one or more sperm cells were missed. This concern applies to both manual microscopy and automated sperm detection. Many of our customers consider this factor when validating their workflow. Metafer helps by automatically sorting the object gallery after scanning, prioritizing potential matches based on the probability delivered by the DNN. For the final mandatory review of results by a forensic expert, it may be helpful to specify in your SOP the number of gallery pages that must be examined before classifying a case as negative. Each laboratory should determine this number individually based on its specific circumstances.
- Metafer (5.0MB)
Metafer, MetaSystems' scanning and imaging software, controls microscope and accessory hardware to acquire digital images, and to assist the operator in the detection, classification, and counting of cells of human or other origin and other objects in microscopic specimen.
- Case and Image Data Management (1.3MB)
Neon is a technology for the flexible and consistent management of image and case data. It is designed to collect data from a variety of sources and integrate them into an efficient and well-structured workflow. The technology integrated in all MetaSystems installations ensures that all relevant information is available wherever it is needed.
- Brochure: Metafer Customization Package Sperm Detection (606.6kB)
Sperm cell identification serves as a widely utilized forensic analytical technique in the examination of sexual offenses. MetaSystems has put together a workflow incorporating Deep Neural Networks (DNN) technology within the Metafer scanning software. This customization has the potential to speed up and simplify sperm detection in forensic examinations.
- White Paper: Metafer Customization Package Sperm Detection (237.5kB)
Sperm cells are a crucial piece of evidence for solving sexual crimes and are usually detected by microscopy. Using deep learning algorithms implemented in the Metafer slide scanning software, MetaSystems has put together a workflow that brings the benefits of artificial intelligence to the field of forensic microscopy.
MetaSystems software provides, among other functions, features to assist users with image processing. These include, but are not limited to, the use of machine and deep learning algorithms for pattern recognition. The output generated in this process should be regarded as preliminary suggestions and, in any case, mandatorily requires review and assessment by trained experts.
MetaSystems offers Customization Packages for application workflows that have been successfully implemented for customer labs using standard Metafer platform functionality. It is expected that they can be implemented for other customer labs using similar workflows and slide preparation procedures. If a Customization Package is purchased, MetaSystems product specialists will – based on their experience from other similar application cases - support the customer lab in adapting the Metafer software configuration to their needs. The performance of the solution will depend on the quality of the customer slides and the expertise of the users, MetaSystems cannot specify or guarantee any performance parameters. The validation of the solution for clinical use is the sole responsibility of the customer lab.