PNNL Smartphone Microscope Costs Less than One Dollar to Make

Sep-19-14 The PNNL Smartphone microscope could let researchers in the field image a material and receive an analysis within minutes via their smartphones.

The microscope is made up of a 3D-printed plastic clip no thicker than a phone case that holds an inexpensive and easily available glass sphere. The thinner case makes it easy to line up the sphere with the camera lens, which helps solve some of the problem that have plagued scientists who have previously tried to use the spheres in microscopes. The device is available in three different versions, 1000x, 350x and 100x (1000x is adequate for viewing anthrax spores), and the entire cost of the device is less than one dollar.

The 3D printer files are available for free download online, and the PNNL lab also provides links to sources for the glass spheres.

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