New embryo monitor to hit the market

A technology firm focused on improving egg hatchability says it has developed the first embryo monitor capable of directly identifying their physiological condition.

The non-invasive CrystalEgg system, from LIVEgg, sits within an incubator and can detect in real time an embryo’s developmental stage, or whether it is dead or infertile, according to the company.

Sensors collect physiological parameters from the embryo and apply advanced algorithms to analyse it, thus providing accurate real-time data on the embryo’s stage and condition.

It claims that, by the seventh day of a 21-day hatching cycle, it can provide accurate information on expected hatching, mortality, infertility and other factors. LIVEgg claim a 3%-4% improvement to hatching rates.

“Even the top-scale incubators can only monitor the environmental factors within the incubator, but using environmental factors only limits the ability to take care of the embryos’ well-being during the hatching cycle,” said LIVEgg chief executive Alon Blum. “Until now, the developmental stage and the embryo’s condition during a hatching cycle was a real enigma.”

“CrystalEgg offers hatchery managers, owners and integrators crystal clear observation of the embryo, providing improved control and a totally new set of information unavailable to date,” he added.

The system will be showcased for the first time at the international IPPE Production & Processing Expo, which takes place February 12–14 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.