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