A Low-Cost Digital Microscope with Real-Time Fluorescent Imaging Capability

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 12; p. e0167863
• Main Authors: Hasan, Md Mehedi, Alam, Mohammad Wajih, Wahid, Khan A, Miah, Sayem, Lukong, Kiven Erique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 15.12.2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biopsy; Cancer; Commercial off-the-shelf technology; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer engineering; Construction costs; Data buses; Design and construction; Digital imaging; Endoscopy; Engineering and Technology; Excitation; Flashlights; Fluorescence; Fluorescence microscopy; Fluorescent Dyes; Fluoroscopic imaging; Gastroenterology; Image transmission; Laboratories; Light sources; Low cost; Microscopes; Microscopy; Microscopy, Fluorescence - economics; Microscopy, Fluorescence - instrumentation; Optical properties; Physical Sciences; Real time; Research and Analysis Methods; Students; Tuberculosis; Tumor cells; Weight reduction; Zooming
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167863

This paper describes the development of a prototype of a low-cost digital fluorescent microscope built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The prototype was tested to detect malignant tumor cells taken from a living organism in a preclinical setting. This experiment was accomplished by using Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate dye attached to the cancer cells. Our prototype utilizes a torch along with an excitation filter as a light source for fluorophore excitation, a dichroic mirror to reflect the excitation and pass the emitted green light from the sample under test and a barrier filter to permit only appropriate wavelength. The system is designed out of a microscope using its optical zooming property and an assembly of exciter filter, dichroic mirror and transmitter filter. The microscope is connected to a computer or laptop through universal serial bus (USB) that allows real-time transmission of captured florescence images; this also offers real-time control of the microscope. The designed system has comparable features of high-end commercial fluorescent microscopes while reducing cost, power, weight and size.