DIY or 3D Printed Microscope

Hardware
1

Hello there,

I’m interested in building a microscope for a project that should not be too expensive but should also have a decent set of features, including connection to a camera and fluorescence and/or phase contrast imaging modalities.

There are several of such projects around the web, most of them are great for children but I am looking for something a bit more advanced. One project that caught my eye was the Lego-based MicroscoPy which is on the top of my list to build, but likely with adaptations since I do not want to use the Lego and prefer to 3D-Print my way through together with some aluminium extrusions.

If you are aware of any such projects, or if you are just simply interested please leave a message.

Many thanks,
MD

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Have a look at the OpenFlexure Microscope:
https://openflexure.org/projects/microscope/

and Octopi

let us know how it goes !
Best of luck

3 Likes
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Great Suggestions @LPUoO. In the Octopi paper I found another interesting reference regarding a simple optical arrangement with interesting results:

Low-Cost Mobile Phone Microscopy with a Reversed Mobile Phone Camera Lens
Neil A. Switz., Michael V. D’Ambrosio.*, Daniel A. Fletcher

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There is also the UC2 project which is pretty cool.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.02.973073v1

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I would second the UC2 and Flexure scope. There are some really interesting open source microscopy hardware out there. If I am honest, I am waitng for parts to arrive to build the UC2 but they havent arrived! There were workshops but with Covid these have all been put on hold. I would be interested in a group effort to build some of these, to learn.

My own reading has suggested that the use of cube optical systems brings ease to the build. From all the different versions out there including uCube and UC2.

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Where did you get the UC2 parts? A local 3D print shop?

I would really like to give UC2 a try soon.

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Here’s a new one, although a bit more complex than the previous ones

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And another one

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So I have been looking at this closely and but UC2 hasnt got the best intructions or links for some of the optical parts. They link to german suppliers for low cost versions. There are some chinese suppliers through ali express. Ive got most of the parts but not sure on the optical components . Any one have any thoughts?