DIY microscopy
Contents
DIY microscopy
Introduction
To use a simple usb webcam as a microscope, only a few modifications are needed.
In short, a small hack to the optics of a standard webcam with an adjustable focus-lens, allows to create video data, with a magnification of around 100 to 400x (depending on the model) at a working distance of a few mm. The highest magnifications can be achieved by inverting (putting upside down) the lens. Addition of good lighting by the use of leds allows to create images using a bright-field method (shine through the stuff) or dark field method (look at the reflections and scattering).
Video Examples
Movie recorded with modified webcams: Hackteria in Berlin
Instructions
Hacking the webcam
Step1:
Step2
Step3
Step4
Step5
Step6
Step7
Further modifications
mounting the microscope
There are many ways to finally build the microscope itself. here are a few examples from the workshop hackteria & lab_hacking @ NK, Berlin.
Simple microscope setup
Fixed, massiv and stable setup
Silicone embedded setup
Tape and cardboard setup
Magnification and Field of View
See: fieldofview for more details.
after completing the hack with the lenses, the magnification can be increased upto a field of view of 0.7 mm.
hacking a digital camera
more about microscopy
For more enlargement, you can not only invert the lense but also put some (iron) rings between the lense and the "webcam" and fix it with duct tape. The more rings you put between the more light you will need that you can see something. 5mm works without problems, the light from 1-2 LEDs will suffice to see the things.
For savers: A cheap solution is a standard logitech webcam, which can be bought for about 25.- SFr. --> videos(500x600), pics (3MPixel)
Links on Microscopy
Historical
Anthony van Leeuwenhoek Self-made Scientist, Father of Microbiology & Microscope Inventor
General Resources
Sehr guter und interaktiver Überblick der Lichtmikroskopie
ROTHAY HOUSE: Using the Digital Microscope, Brian J. Ford
File:Fords digital microscopes.zip
DIY Microscopy
SYNBIO - Link Sammlung zu Mikroskopie im Selbstbau
Image Processing and Analysis
ImageJ is a public domain Java image processing program inspired by NIH Image for the Macintosh. It runs, either as an online applet or as a downloadable application, on any computer with a Java 1.4 or later virtual machine. Downloadable distributions are available for Windows, Mac OS, Mac OS X and Linux.