Smartphone microscope kit promises up to 1,000x magnification

DIPLE’s 35x zoom examining the head of a fly. | Image: SmartMicroOptics Everyone knows the rise of smartphones has put powerful cameras in our pockets, but we forget these cameras can also be transformed into powerful microscopes. Enter DIPLE, a Kickstarter that promises to supercharge your phone with up to 1,000 times magnification, allowing you to examine microorganisms, bacteria, and even your own blood cells. The team behind DIPLE (pronounced “dipple”) previously made BLIPS, a series of stick-on smartphone lenses that we reviewed back in 2016. We thought BLIPS were fun, but getting good results took patience. Stick-on lenses are lightweight and easy to apply, but their focal point is difficult to align, meaning images were often blurry and distorted. DIPLE is a very different beast, offering a static,... Continue reading…