Open AccessA Low-Cost Digital Microscope with Real-Time Fluorescent Imaging Capability
Author(s) -
Md. Mehedi Hasan,
Mohammad Wajih Alam,
Khan A. Wahid,
Sayem Miah,
Kiven Lukong
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0167863
Subject(s) - dichroic filter , microscope , dichroic glass , optics , materials science , inverted microscope , fluorophore , usb , microscopy , computer science , optoelectronics , fluorescence , wavelength , physics , software , programming language
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.