ESPressoscope: A small and powerful approach for in situ microscopy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Analytical Sciences
• Field Ecology
• Microfluidics
• Spectrophotometry

Background:

• Modern microscopy is vital for scientific research but often inaccessible due to cost and logistical challenges.
• Resource-limited and remote settings face significant barriers to utilizing advanced microscopy equipment.
• There is a critical need for affordable, portable, and adaptable microscopy alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using a microcontroller board as a portable digital microscope.
• To develop a versatile, low-cost imaging platform for diverse scientific applications.
• To create an accessible microscopy solution for field-based and resource-limited research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a low-cost ESP32 camera board with minimal external components to create a digital microscope prototype.
• Developed an autonomous in situ platform for digital time-lapse imaging of cells.
• Integrated Wi-Fi connectivity for seamless data transfer and cloud-based processing.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a functional, low-power, and compact digital microscope (ESPressoscope) adaptable for various applications.
• Successfully tested the prototype for monitoring cell cultures and observing ecological phenomena.
• Showcased the potential for adapting the platform for microfluidics and spectrophotometry.

Conclusions:

• The ESPressoscope offers a low-cost, portable microscopy solution, expanding experimental possibilities in biology and analytical sciences.
• This accessible technology can overcome previous limitations of microscopy in field research and resource-constrained environments.
• Web-based tools were developed to facilitate user operation and management of the prototype's software.