Public Lab Wiki documentation


Microscopes

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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
driver usb camera community microscope @francesco49 almost 2 years ago 5
Would it be possible to make our own microscopic scale rulers (micrometers) using optical discs (DVDs?) @warren over 2 years ago 6
Could the Raspberry Pi Microscope be used for looking at microplastics found in ocean water? @stevie about 3 years ago 6
How could the new basic microscope project be used in building towards advocacy outcomes? @stevie about 3 years ago 1
Looking for a simple DIY microscope stage design with parallel plates @warren over 3 years ago 3
What do respirable silica particles (frac sand pollution) look like? @warren over 3 years ago 5
What is "immersion oil" for microscopes? @warren over 3 years ago 11
Where can you get the stage for the basic microscope? @stevie over 3 years ago 0
A Massdrop microscope sale (just 23 hours left) @amirberAgain over 3 years ago 0
Where can microscope lenses (objectives) be bought? @warren almost 4 years ago 19
What are some ways to collect dust or particulate samples for analysis? @warren almost 4 years ago 4
How do DIY microscopes compare (cost, ease of use, resolution) to commercial options? @warren almost 4 years ago 3
Has anyone used a RasPi camera in a DIY microscope? @bmela almost 4 years ago 2
How does the EPA measure things, especially the size of dust particles? @kgradow1 almost 4 years ago 3
How long does it take to build the hackteria microscope? (is it easy?) @kgradow1 almost 4 years ago 3
Is it possible to accurately size inhalable and respirable particles using a DIY microscope? @gretchengehrke about 4 years ago 4
Is it possible to discern jagged from rounded particles using a DIY microscope? @gretchengehrke about 4 years ago 4
How big are silica particles, in microns? @warren about 4 years ago 2
How big are smoke particles, in microns? @warren about 4 years ago 4
What is the best low-cost or DIY microscope to use with a group? @gretchengehrke about 4 years ago 2
Have you had any experience utilizing low cost portable microscopes? @gilbert about 4 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 »
Automating ImageJ for particle image analysis - - @SimonPyle - - 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 »
Making a Hackteria stage - - @partsandcrafts - - 1 replications: Try it »
Setting up the Raspberry Pi Camera for Wireless Streaming - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
Add a high-quality webcam to your Community Microscope kit using LEGO - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
Building a Basic Microscope Stage - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
Automating Passive Particle Monitor Analysis - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Hand-cut or lasercut a simple DIY microscope stage - - @warren - - 0 replications: Try it »
A Prototype Paper Stage for the Microscope - - @mimiss - - 0 replications: Try it »
Quick Build: Basic Microscope Kit with Raspberry Pi - - @partsandcrafts - - 0 replications: Try it »
OpenFlexure Microscope: high-resolution assembly - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Calibrating a Microscope - - @mathew - - 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
Attaching a Raspberry Pi Camera to a Microscope Objective Lens @partsandcrafts about 1 year ago 15
Building a Basic Microscope Stage @partsandcrafts about 1 year ago 3
Setting up the Raspberry Pi Camera for Wireless Streaming @partsandcrafts about 1 year ago 10
Replicating IBM's Lensless, Holographic, RPi Microscope? @wln215 almost 2 years ago 4
driver usb camera community microscope @francesco49 almost 2 years ago 5
Build a low-magnification "dissection microscope" for microplastics @warren almost 2 years ago 4
Microscope Webcam Conversion @Bronwen almost 2 years ago 13
Oct 4: MicroBrews meet-up at AS220 Food, Providence @warren almost 2 years ago 2
Would it be possible to make our own microscopic scale rulers (micrometers) using optical discs (DVDs?) @warren over 2 years ago 6
Prepare an SD card for a Raspberry Pi camera from scratch @warren over 2 years ago 8
Add a high-quality webcam to your Community Microscope kit using LEGO @warren over 2 years ago 14
Ideas for a DIY + Maker class for 6th graders @Kmckeown about 3 years ago 7
Could the Raspberry Pi Microscope be used for looking at microplastics found in ocean water? @stevie about 3 years ago 6
Set up Cam interface on RPi zero w with Pi Cam 2 @lach_myers over 3 years ago 2
Overview: Hackteria Remix: Building a Basic Microscope with Raspberry Pi @partsandcrafts over 3 years ago 14
Kickstarting the Community Microscope Kit! @Bronwen over 3 years ago 0
Lensless holograpic microscope @amirberAgain over 3 years ago 0
Hand-cut or lasercut a simple DIY microscope stage @warren over 3 years ago 2
Looking for a simple DIY microscope stage design with parallel plates @warren over 3 years ago 3
How to Make a Simple Smartphone Microscope #citizenscience #science #DIY #3dprinting @zengirl2 over 3 years ago 4
What do respirable silica particles (frac sand pollution) look like? @warren over 3 years ago 5
Particle Visualization Event in Hixton, WI @gretchengehrke over 3 years ago 5
What is "immersion oil" for microscopes? @warren over 3 years ago 11
A Massdrop microscope sale (just 23 hours left) @amirberAgain over 3 years ago 0
Fluorescence microscope - automatically detect airborne pathogens in confined space? @vwaterson over 3 years ago 7
How can we set up a Raspberry Pi camera as an ethernet USB device to avoid using WiFi @warren almost 4 years ago 5
How cheaply can I get all the parts of the basic microscope kit? @warren almost 4 years ago 4
Where can microscope lenses (objectives) be bought? @warren almost 4 years ago 19
Quick Build: Basic Microscope Kit with Raspberry Pi @partsandcrafts almost 4 years ago 15
Microscope build for Barnraising 2017 @kgradow1 almost 4 years ago 0
Making a Hackteria stage @partsandcrafts almost 4 years ago 8
How do DIY microscopes compare (cost, ease of use, resolution) to commercial options? @warren almost 4 years ago 3
Has anyone used a RasPi camera in a DIY microscope? @bmela almost 4 years ago 2
How long does it take to build the hackteria microscope? (is it easy?) @kgradow1 almost 4 years ago 3
How big are silica particles, in microns? @warren about 4 years ago 2
How big are smoke particles, in microns? @warren about 4 years ago 4
Have you had any experience utilizing low cost portable microscopes? @gilbert about 4 years ago 3
Microscope from Tablet Computer @MicroscopesAreCool almost 5 years ago 1
Sizing particles in microscope images at Portland Science Hackday @mathew almost 5 years ago 4
DIY microscope resources @liz almost 5 years ago 1
Calibrating a Microscope @mathew about 5 years ago 2
OpenFlexure Microscope: high-resolution assembly @mathew about 5 years ago 7
Automating ImageJ for particle image analysis @SimonPyle over 5 years ago 8
Making an OpenFlexure Microscope @mathew over 5 years ago 12
Automating Passive Particle Monitor Analysis @mathew over 5 years ago 3
Mobius MicroCam @tonyc over 5 years ago 4
Raspberry Pi based microscope @Holger almost 6 years ago 8
Optical Imaging of Passive Particle Monitors @mathew about 6 years ago 3
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