Scientists create world's first fully-3D printed microscope in under three hours

Scientists at the University of Strathclyde have created 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.

Using a publicly available design from the website OpenFlexure the scientists produced the microscope’s frame—and clear plastic lenses they designed themselves—using low-cost, accessible 3D printers.

The microscope was completed by adding a shop-bought camera and a light, with the whole device controlled by a Raspberry Pi computer processor.

The researchers have presented their results in a paper submitted for publication in the Journal of Microscopy which is currently in pre-print on the server bioRxiv ahead of publication following peer review.

To test the imaging performance of the system, the scientists used standard test samples: a stained blood smear and a stained, thin section of mouse kidney. The microscope demonstrated sub-cellular resolution, clearly imaging individual red blood cells and detailed structures in the kidney sample.

Democratized access

Dr. Liam Rooney, postdoctoral research associate, who created the device with Professor Gail McConnell at Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, said, “In under three hours, you can transform a design, freely available on the internet, into a fully functional optical microscope.

“This opens the doors to democratized access, rapid prototyping, and bespoke design of microscopes and optics at a fraction of the price of traditional microscopes. It could help scientists and medics in low-income countries around the world, as well as enabling students to learn more about science through accessible, cheap kit.”

The microscope uses a single lens with a 2.9x magnification, which is on the lower end of the spectrum, but its resolving power—essentially how clearly a sample can be seen—is what is most important for diagnostic purposes. Traditional diagnostic microscopes can typically cost between £10,000–£15,000.

The key element to the scope is the plastic, 3D lenses, which Professor McConnell and Dr. Rooney have been working with colleagues around the world to perfect for three years.

The frame the researchers’ device was built from is already used for diagnostic imaging in low-income settings, but the unique combination of this with the 3D-printed lenses—each costing 11 pence to make—is what makes the microscope more accessible, cheaper and quicker to build.

A critical step in getting to this point was being able to ensure control over the shape of the lens and removing any ‘stepping artifacts’ caused when 3D printers add layer upon layer of plastic to build up a structure.