Phone-microscopes to transform research
SYDNEY - A simple new device that can turn a mobile phone into a research-grade microscope could have the potential to revolutionize the way scientific research is done in some parts of the world. Capable of visualizing microscopic organisms 1/200th the size of a millimeter, the cutting-edge "clipon" device would also be 3-D printable, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology announced on Feb 20.
"This could have huge potential for research in impoverished or remote places because now you can do very simple diagnostics on site and you won't have to lug around a huge microscope with you," says Antony Orth, a research fellow for RMIT's Centre for Nanoscale BioPhotonics.
"Their use in these areas can be essential for determining water quality for drinking, through to analyzing blood samples for parasites, or for disease diagnosis including malaria.
