Public Lab Wiki documentation


Microscopes

2,291 views | Last edited by warren over 1 year ago | #14696


A microscope is an optical instrument that can be used for magnification. It's often made up of multiple parts, including:

  • optics (lens, focus, calibration)
  • a camera
  • a lighting system
  • a moving stage to hold slides

Community Microscope Kit

We’ve developed a microscope kit you can build yourself - the result of many teams’ work coming together!

Read more about the Community Microscope!

Questions

Questions can be either frequently asked questions, or "next step" challenges we're looking to solve.

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
Would it be possible to make our own microscopic scale rulers (micrometers) using optical discs (DVDs?) @warren 6 months ago 6
Could the Raspberry Pi Microscope be used for looking at microplastics found in ocean water? @stevie about 1 year ago 6
How could the new basic microscope project be used in building towards advocacy outcomes? @stevie about 1 year ago 1
Looking for a simple DIY microscope stage design with parallel plates @warren over 1 year ago 3
What do respirable silica particles (frac sand pollution) look like? @warren over 1 year ago 5
What is "immersion oil" for microscopes? @warren over 1 year ago 10
Where can you get the stage for the basic microscope? @stevie over 1 year ago 0
A Massdrop microscope sale (just 23 hours left) @amirberAgain almost 2 years ago 0
Where can microscope lenses (objectives) be bought? @warren almost 2 years ago 19
What are some ways to collect dust or particulate samples for analysis? @warren almost 2 years ago 4
How do DIY microscopes compare (cost, ease of use, resolution) to commercial options? @warren about 2 years ago 3
Has anyone used a RasPi camera in a DIY microscope? @bmela about 2 years ago 2
How does the EPA measure things, especially the size of dust particles? @kgradow1 about 2 years ago 3
How long does it take to build the hackteria microscope? (is it easy?) @kgradow1 about 2 years ago 3
Is it possible to accurately size inhalable and respirable particles using a DIY microscope? @gretchengehrke about 2 years ago 4
Is it possible to discern jagged from rounded particles using a DIY microscope? @gretchengehrke about 2 years ago 4
How big are silica particles, in microns? @warren about 2 years ago 2
How big are smoke particles, in microns? @warren about 2 years ago 4
What is the best low-cost or DIY microscope to use with a group? @gretchengehrke about 2 years ago 2
Have you had any experience utilizing low cost portable microscopes? @gilbert about 2 years ago 3
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Activities

Activities show how to use this project, step by step.

Purpose Category Status Author Time Difficulty Replications
Overview: Hackteria Remix: Building a Basic Microscope with Raspberry Pi - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
Imagining & testing Polarized Light Microscopy for Silica dust speciation - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Making an OpenFlexure Microscope - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Microscope from Tablet Computer - complete @MicroscopesAreCool 3h - 1 replications: Try it »
Prepare an SD card for a Raspberry Pi camera from scratch - - @warren - - 1 replications: Try it »
Optical Imaging of Passive Particle Monitors - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Automating ImageJ for particle image analysis - - @SimonPyle - - 0 replications: Try it »
Making a Hackteria stage - - @partsandcrafts - - 1 replications: Try it »
3. Building a Basic Microscope Stage - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
Add a high-quality webcam to your Community Microscope kit using LEGO - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
1. Setting up the Raspberry Pi Camera for Wireless Streaming - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
Automating Passive Particle Monitor Analysis - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
A Prototype Paper Stage for the Microscope - - @mimiss - - 0 replications: Try it »
OpenFlexure Microscope: high-resolution assembly - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Calibrating a Microscope - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Hand-cut or lasercut a simple DIY microscope stage - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Quick Build: Basic Microscope Kit with Raspberry Pi - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
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Add an activity  or request an activity guide you don't see listed

Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.

Updates

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
Oct 4: MicroBrews meet-up at AS220 Food, Providence @warren 12 days ago 2
Would it be possible to make our own microscopic scale rulers (micrometers) using optical discs (DVDs?) @warren 6 months ago 6
1. Setting up the Raspberry Pi Camera for Wireless Streaming @partsandcrafts 7 months ago 10
Prepare an SD card for a Raspberry Pi camera from scratch @warren 7 months ago 8
Microscope Webcam Conversion @Bronwen 8 months ago 11
Add a high-quality webcam to your Community Microscope kit using LEGO @warren 8 months ago 11
Ideas for a DIY + Maker class for 6th graders @Kmckeown about 1 year ago 6
Could the Raspberry Pi Microscope be used for looking at microplastics found in ocean water? @stevie about 1 year ago 6
Set up Cam interface on RPi zero w with Pi Cam 2 @lach_myers over 1 year ago 2
Overview: Hackteria Remix: Building a Basic Microscope with Raspberry Pi @partsandcrafts over 1 year ago 14
Kickstarting the Community Microscope Kit! @Bronwen over 1 year ago 0
Lensless holograpic microscope @amirberAgain over 1 year ago 0
Hand-cut or lasercut a simple DIY microscope stage @warren over 1 year ago 1
Looking for a simple DIY microscope stage design with parallel plates @warren over 1 year ago 3
How to Make a Simple Smartphone Microscope #citizenscience #science #DIY #3dprinting @zengirl2 over 1 year ago 4
2. Attaching Your Raspberry Pi Camera to a Microscope Objective Lens @partsandcrafts over 1 year ago 13
3. Building a Basic Microscope Stage @partsandcrafts over 1 year ago 3
What do respirable silica particles (frac sand pollution) look like? @warren over 1 year ago 5
Particle Visualization Event in Hixton, WI @gretchengehrke over 1 year ago 5
What is "immersion oil" for microscopes? @warren over 1 year ago 10
A Massdrop microscope sale (just 23 hours left) @amirberAgain almost 2 years ago 0
Fluorescence microscope - automatically detect airborne pathogens in confined space? @vwaterson almost 2 years ago 7
How can we set up a Raspberry Pi camera as an ethernet USB device to avoid using WiFi @warren almost 2 years ago 5
How cheaply can I get all the parts of the basic microscope kit? @warren almost 2 years ago 4
Where can microscope lenses (objectives) be bought? @warren almost 2 years ago 19
Quick Build: Basic Microscope Kit with Raspberry Pi @partsandcrafts almost 2 years ago 15
Microscope build for Barnraising 2017 @kgradow1 almost 2 years ago 0
Making a Hackteria stage @partsandcrafts almost 2 years ago 4
How do DIY microscopes compare (cost, ease of use, resolution) to commercial options? @warren about 2 years ago 3
Has anyone used a RasPi camera in a DIY microscope? @bmela about 2 years ago 2
How long does it take to build the hackteria microscope? (is it easy?) @kgradow1 about 2 years ago 3
How big are silica particles, in microns? @warren about 2 years ago 2
How big are smoke particles, in microns? @warren about 2 years ago 4
Have you had any experience utilizing low cost portable microscopes? @gilbert about 2 years ago 3
Microscope from Tablet Computer @MicroscopesAreCool almost 3 years ago 1
Sizing particles in microscope images at Portland Science Hackday @mathew about 3 years ago 4
DIY microscope resources @liz about 3 years ago 1
Calibrating a Microscope @mathew about 3 years ago 2
OpenFlexure Microscope: high-resolution assembly @mathew about 3 years ago 7
Automating ImageJ for particle image analysis @SimonPyle over 3 years ago 8
Making an OpenFlexure Microscope @mathew over 3 years ago 12
Automating Passive Particle Monitor Analysis @mathew over 3 years ago 3
Mobius MicroCam @tonyc over 3 years ago 4
Raspberry Pi based microscope @Holger almost 4 years ago 8
Optical Imaging of Passive Particle Monitors @mathew about 4 years ago 3
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