EnLightenment: High resolution smartphone microscopy as an educational and public engagement platform

Abstract

We developed a simple, cost-effective smartphone microscopy platform for use in educational and public engagement programs. We demonstrated its effectiveness, and potential for citizen science through a national imaging initiative, . The cost effectiveness of the instrument allowed for the program to deliver over 500 microscopes to more than 100 secondary schools throughout Scotland, targeting 1000's of 12-14 year olds. Through careful, quantified, selection of a high power, low-cost objective lens, our smartphone microscope has an imaging resolution of microns, with a working distance of 3 mm. It is therefore capable of imaging single cells and sub-cellular features, and retains usability for young children. The microscopes were designed in kit form and provided an interdisciplinary educational tool. By providing full lesson plans and support material, we developed a framework to explore optical design, microscope performance, engineering challenges on construction and real-world applications in life sciences, biological imaging, marine biology, art, and technology. A national online imaging competition framed with over 500 high quality images submitted of diverse content, spanning multiple disciplines. With examples of cellular and sub-cellular features clearly identifiable in some submissions, we show how young public can use these instruments for research-level imaging applications, and the potential of the instrument for citizen science programs.

Improvement of allograft kidney biopsy yield by using a handheld smartphone microscope as an on-site evaluation device

“…The incorporation of the lens into the smartphone has turned this combination into a portable microscope. Several smartphone-based microscopes have been used in detecting detailed images such as human cells and parasites [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Frugal filtering optical lenses for point-of-care diagnostics

“…Previous work has indicated that for 10 µL heat cured PDMS lenses, a temperature of 200°C gives rise to the greatest contact angle and magnification [25]. Additionally, this lens offers sufficient resolution for histological [25] and bacteriological imaging [21,28]. Smartphone microscopy systems have been developed with a resolution compatible with viruses and 100 nm nanoparticles, yet the use of laser diode light sources and expensive external lenses [29] may make cost a prohibitive factor for translation to a low resource setting.…”

A Leeuwenhoek-Type Mobile Microscope for Histology Education

“…It is a playful educational tool capable of observing the structure and dynamic behavior of live microorganisms [2]. Another simple, cost-effective smartphone microscope platform has been developed for secondary and high school students to obtain research-level images of parts of insects, pollen grains, and sodium chloride crystals [3]. One type of smartphone microscope is capable of identifying red and white blood cells in blood smears and soil-transmitted helminth eggs in stool samples [4], and another smartphone microscope has been used to detect malaria in fixed and stained blood smears [5,6].…”