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The miEye: Bench-top super-resolution microscope with cost-effective equipment.
Mohammad Nour Alsamsam1,2, Aurimas Kopūstas1,2, Meda Jurevičiūtė2
1Department of Molecular Compound Physics, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Hardwarex
|October 17, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed miEye, a cost-effective microscope for high-resolution fluorescence imaging. This open-source system offers advanced capabilities for super-resolution microscopy, making it accessible to more labs.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Optical Microscopy
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Commercial super-resolution (SR) systems are expensive.
- Existing affordable open-source microscopes often lack modularity, reliability, or are overly complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce miEye, a cost-effective, modular microscope for high-resolution wide-field fluorescence imaging.
- Provide an adaptable, open-source platform to lower the barrier for SR imaging.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a microscope with a CNC-milled aluminum body and commercial optomechanics.
- Integrated open-source Python software for control, visualization, and analysis.
- Implemented IR beam back-reflection for auto-focus stabilization and Arduino for laser control.
Main Results:
- Achieved <30 nm lateral resolution for dSTORM and DNA-PAINT single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM).
- Ensured sample stability of <5 nm/min on all axes.
- The system's cost is approximately 50,000 €.
Conclusions:
- miEye offers a cost-effective and adaptable solution for high-quality super-resolution imaging.
- The open-source design encourages community adaptation and wider accessibility.
- This system empowers limited-budget research groups to perform advanced microscopy.
