Building a Digital Microscope using a Webcam


Lab of group 3 and 4

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24/07/19

Wednesday

Stem Workshop

Day 3 Challenge 2 continued

9:45 am

Aim:-

We needed to complete the stand for the microscope

Procedure and result:-

First we found that the cardboard piece which we attached to the vertical cardboard piece, which was attached to the base, was not so strong to hold the slide.So we made two thick blocks of cardboard and attached it below both its side to give it support. Yesterday we used two equally cut pieces of cardboard with two holes to fix the microscope but we found that the back holes were very broad to fit a screw.So we made them again with the measure of the screw.But we were unsuccessful as the lens was placed correctly but the vertical board which was attached to the base was not so strong to hold the microscope.So it all went wrong and we needed to cut the whole upper part.

Now the question was to how to make the stage and with what to make it as the cardboard did not turn out to be a successful material.So we found a material which we thought would be better than cardboard. We took polycarbonate sheet and cut it into a square. We tried to bend the sheet from two sides with heat but we again were unsuccessful due the lack of heat.So as an alternative measure we cut two strips of breadth 1 cm each and attached them on both the sides and to give it support we made six small triangles and attached it at the ends and one in the between of both the strips and made whole between it for the lens to settle.Then we cut one more big rectangle and pasted a white paper with a whole for the light to pass on it.Finally our microscope was ready.

Image.jpeg

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I am impressed by the portability, frugality, simplicity and modularity of this design.
Creating an appropriate focus method that is replicable and repeatable, while simultaneously being frugal has eluded us thus far.

Prima facie this design seems to fit all criteria.

I will repeat the process independently and verify with logitech webcam.

If successful it will be the recommended method for a very high image quality DIY webcam.

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Addendum:
The Logitech web cam C170 (and similar designs) has an excellent CMOS imager and lens. It provides good magnification and little chromatic aberration. However repurposing this device for our use as microscope has posed several mechanical challenges.
image .

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The stand is made so that it becomes easier for us and the digital microscope attains stability

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we need a stable stand as if it is light and unstable the slide will keep moving and our microscope wouldn’t be able to focus on the microorganisms . our hands are not as steady as a piece of non living cardboard :smiley:

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All because of our mentors

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A microscope is an optic device which we use for multiple means such as for viewing very small details and objects which can be magnified up till a great extent. It can be used by all kinds of people- from curious people like ourselves to professional scientists. Important discoveries like the existence of microscopic organisms could have never been made. We are now able to observe the smallest of the details not only in plants and other foreign bodies, but also we are able to discover new features of our own bodies.

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First microscope was invented by Zacharias janssen

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A Foldscope is an optical microscope that can be assembled from simple components, including a sheet of paper and a lens.It was invented by Manu Prakash.

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The microscope which we were trying to make is almost complete.

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Table of group 3 and 4

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