Nov 2020 – May 2022
Project assignment
Katrin Bihr & Florian Hartz
Viewing the fascinating world of the microcosm requires an essential tool – the microscope. However, professional setups can be costly, heavy and often non-modular.
With this in mind, two students set out to build and adapt the open-source OpenFlexure Microscope in our laboratory. Drawing on the original OpenFlexure Microscope project website, which provides freely available design files, software and documentation, they realised a cost-effective, high-resolution fluorescence microscope tailored for educational use.
The 3D-printed structural components keep the system lightweight while enabling a highly modular design that can be reconfigured for different experiments. Digital image data from the integrated camera are transmitted via standard interfaces to a connected computer for live display and analysis. A motorised, multi-axis stage allows precise focusing and controlled movement of the sample within the focal plane, paving the way for automated imaging routines and reproducible teaching demonstrations.
The project ended with the completion of the usable, transportable and low-maintenance fluorescence microscope and the integration of AI-supported upscaling of the resolution using feature extraction and segmentation methods.
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