November 21st, 2014

I have been playing with the PNNL 1 dollar microscope.  It certainly works but it can be tricky getting good pictures out of it.

I was looking around the internet for ways to improve image quality when I stumbled on this instructable for making a smartphone microscope using the lens from a laser pointer.  http://www.instructables.com/id/10-Smartphone-to-digital-microscope-conversion/

I had a cheap laser pointer that wasn’t doing much so I took it apart.  I swapped out the glass bead PNNL suggested, enlarged the hole in my 3d printed clip and inserted the lense from my laser pointer… and it worked.

Here are some images taken with the new and improved smartphone microscope.

None of these have been enhanced or modified, this is what you get appearing on the ipad, iphone or other.  (Click on the photos to zoom in and see the image quality).

The laser point cost less than 5 dollars, the 3d printed clips were 3 dollars printed by Shapeways, so this setup costs less than 10 dollars to make.

PNNL’s smartphone microscope is cheaper but this version is easier to use (important when using with students) and gets better pictures.

Anyone want to guess what the pictures are?