Revolutionary $60 3D-Printed Microscope Democratizes High-Resolution Imaging for Researchers Worldwide

January 14, 2025
Revolutionary $60 3D-Printed Microscope Democratizes High-Resolution Imaging for Researchers Worldwide
  • Detailed plans for the microscope are available for free online, shared on the bioRxiv preprint server, allowing others to replicate the design.

  • This innovative microscope can be 3D printed in under three hours, including all essential components such as lenses and a Raspberry Pi.

  • Weighing approximately 3 kg (6.6 lbs), the microscope is claimed to be the world's first complete 3D-printed functional microscope for histological imaging.

  • A team of physicists and engineers from the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow has successfully developed a fully functional optical microscope that costs only $60.

  • The design builds upon existing frameworks from the OpenFlexure project, which provided the main structure for this groundbreaking device.

  • Researchers created plastic lenses using a Mars 3 Pro 3D printer, designed to match the specifications of expensive glass lenses but at a significantly reduced cost.

  • The entire assembly process for the microscope takes less than three hours, making it accessible for budget-constrained researchers.

  • This development could democratize access to microscopy, facilitating more widespread use and innovation in the field.

  • Previous DIY Raspberry Pi microscopes lacked the ability to visualize sub-cellular details clearly, highlighting the significance of this new design.

  • Testing of the microscope included a blood smear and mouse kidney tissue sample, achieving a field view of 1.7 mm and a spatial resolution of around 5 micrometers.

  • The setup utilizes an off-the-shelf light source and camera controlled by a Raspberry Pi processor, ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

  • This innovation addresses the high costs of traditional high-resolution microscopes, which can be prohibitive for many students and researchers globally.

Summary based on 3 sources


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