Openflexure and Waterscope

Openflexure and Waterscope

The trick of making a microscope out of a webcam has been around for a little while and produces good results. However, getting a nice mechanical stage to focus the microscope and move around on the sample is tricky. The OpenFlexureMicroscope  is a 3D printable microscope, including a precise mechanical stage to move the sample and focus the optics that can be operated by a Raspberry Pi. There are many different options for the optics, ranging from a webcam lens to a 100x, oil immersion objective with full automation. The high-performance and low-cost of the microscope has enabled multiple applications in research, education, medical testing etc. WaterScope is a start-up based at the University of Cambridge using this technology. Contaminated drinking water is a global problem with over 2,000 people die of a diarrheal related disease from bacteria each day.WaterScope aims to provide a rapid, affordable bacteria test that can be used by anyone, independent of resource availability.

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