Scientists at the University of Strathclyde have built what they claim is the world’s first fully 3D printed microscope in under three hours, and for less than £50 – a fraction of the cost of traditional devices.
The Strathclyde team, led by Professor Gail McConnell, has ingeniously combined 3D printing technology with open-source design to produce a microscope that doesn’t compromise on quality despite its low cost.
“It’s not just enabling, it’s empowering,” said McConnell, highlighting the potential impact of their creation.
The scientists created the frame of the microscope, as well as transparent plastic lenses they crafted themselves, utilising affordable and readily available 3D printers.
They based their work on publicly accessible designs from OpenFlexure, a project based at Glasgow University that employs 3D printers and standard components to construct open-source, laboratory-grade microscopes.
To finalise the microscope developed by the Strathclyde team, they incorporated a commercially purchased camera and light source, all managed by a Raspberry Pi processor.
Despite its economical price tag, the microscope boasts impressive capabilities:
- Magnification of 2.9x
- Spatial resolution of approximately 5 micrometers
- Field of view measuring 1.7 mm
The team successfully tested the microscope by analysing blood smears and mouse kidney sections, revealing intricate sub-cellular structures and individual blood cells.
Weighing just 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds), this portable powerhouse is set to transform how scientific instruments are accessed and used worldwide.
According to the researchers, the fundamental component of the design is the plastic 3D lenses, which have taken three years to refine, yet only cost 11 pence each to produce.
The framework used for constructing the device is already employed in diagnostic imaging in low-income settings, but the innovative integration of this with the 3D-printed lenses is what enhances the microscope’s accessibility, affordability, and speed of assembly.
The research team states that a pivotal aspect in reaching this milestone was achieving control over the lens’s shape and eliminating any ‘stepping artifacts’ that occur when 3D printers layer plastic to form a structure.
The microscope that results from this process features a single lens offering a magnification of 2.9x, placing it at the lower range of magnification options. However, its resolving power – which refers to the clarity with which a sample can be observed – indicates that more affordable kits can serve as alternatives to conventional diagnostic microscopes, which generally range in price from £10,000 to £15,000.
The implications of this breakthrough extend far beyond the laboratory. Schools, small clinics, and researchers in resource-limited settings stand to benefit enormously from access to affordable, high-quality microscopy.
As the scientific community looks through this new lens of possibility, it’s clear that the Strathclyde team has brought the future of accessible science sharply into focus. Their achievement not only magnifies our understanding of the microscopic world but also enlarges the potential for scientific discovery on a global scale.