Open-source technology is advancing at a rapid pace. By using online resources such as Thingiverse, Blender and AutoCAD anyone in the makerspace can quickly download, model, and 3D print complex designs that would otherwise take specialized fabricating equipment to produce. In 2022, researchers at the Aquaculture Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center (AGGRC) of Louisiana State University created an open-source AI device. Their device was comprised of three parts, the delivery system, the user interface, and a foot pedal. The delivery system, or Standardized Artificial Insemination Device (SAID) is comprised of a linear actuator that controls the flow of fluid in a capillary tube. The User interface contains a potentiometer and OLED to allow the user to set the desired amount of fluid dispensed, and a foot pedal to control when the fluid is released. The goal of this study was to build-on the SAID system to make it more ergonomic and test the insemination efficiency with Xiphophorus maculatus.
I created a new device in in AutoCAD 2025 and printed using an Ender 3-S1 PLA Filament 3D Printer. This design combines all the parts from the SAID and fits it into a 130mm device. I redisgned the holder to make it more ergonomic similar to an oversided “pen” designed (Figure 1). Within the holder there is the injector that could inject volumes of ??? microliters.
This SAID “V.02” Incorporates the same user-friendly interface and design philosophy while taking up less space in the workspace. The SAID “V.02” will be used to inseminate 12 virgin females and 10 females of unknown virginity in late fall 2024.