Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope

Joel T. Collins; Joe Knapper; Julian Stirling; Joram Mduda; Catherine Mkindi; Valeriana Mayagaya; Grace A. Mwakajinga; Paul T. Nyakyi; Valerian L. Sanga; Dave Carbery; Leah White; Sara Dale; Zhen Jieh Lim; Jeremy J. Baumberg; Pietro Cicuta; Samuel Mcdermott; Boyko Vodenicharski; Richard Bowman

doi:10.1364/BOE.385729

Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope

Joel T. Collins, Joe Knapper, Julian Stirling, Joram Mduda, Catherine Mkindi, Valeriana Mayagaya, Grace A. Mwakajinga, Paul T. Nyakyi, Valerian L. Sanga, Dave Carbery, Leah White, Sara Dale, Zhen Jieh Lim, Jeremy J. Baumberg, Pietro Cicuta, Samuel Mcdermott, Boyko Vodenicharski, Richard Bowman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

92 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Optical microscopes are an essential tool for both the detection of disease in clinics, and for scientific analysis. However, in much of the world access to high-performance microscopy is limited by both the upfront cost and maintenance cost of the equipment. Here we present an open-source, 3D-printed, and fully-automated laboratory microscope, with motorised sample positioning and focus control. The microscope is highly customisable, with a number of options readily available including trans- and epi- illumination, polarisation contrast imaging, and epi-florescence imaging. The OpenFlexure microscope has been designed to enable low-volume manufacturing and maintenance by local personnel, vastly increasing accessibility. We have produced over 100 microscopes in Tanzania and Kenya for educational, scientific, and clinical applications, demonstrating that local manufacturing can be a viable alternative to international supply chains that can often be costly, slow, and unreliable.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2447-2460
Number of pages	14
Journal	Biomedical Optics Express
Volume	11
Issue number	5
Early online date	8 Apr 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.385729
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P029426/1, EP/R011443/1, EP/R013969/1); Royal Society (RGF\EA\181034, URF\R1\180153). As the Co-Founder, first CEO, Director of Innovation and Technology Development, and OLI PI at STICLab, Stanley Jaston Mwalembe dedicated his knowledge and scientific skills into contributing to the development of the OpenFlexure Microscope to suit an African context. He keenly saw the real life applications of sayansiScope (OpenFlexure Microscope as branded in Tanzania by STICLab) in schools, colleges, and universities and research centres across Tanzania. His journey and life as a whole have left a remarkable impression on this project, and we will miss his great mind and contributions. May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace. (Stanley Jaston Mwalembe; 11th March 1962- 21st March 2019) Presented data and analysis scripts are available at https://doi.org/10.15125/BATH-00734.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 OSA - The Optical Society. All rights reserved.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biotechnology
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Access to Document

10.1364/BOE.385729Licence: CC BY

https://www.osapublishing.org/abstract.cfm?URI=boe-11-5-2447

Cite this

Collins, J. T., Knapper, J., Stirling, J., Mduda, J., Mkindi, C., Mayagaya, V., Mwakajinga, G. A., Nyakyi, P. T., Sanga, V. L., Carbery, D., White, L., Dale, S., Jieh Lim, Z., Baumberg, J. J., Cicuta, P., Mcdermott, S., Vodenicharski, B., & Bowman, R. (2020). Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope. Biomedical Optics Express, 11(5), 2447-2460. https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.385729

Collins, JT, Knapper, J, Stirling, J, Mduda, J, Mkindi, C, Mayagaya, V, Mwakajinga, GA, Nyakyi, PT, Sanga, VL, Carbery, D, White, L, Dale, S, Jieh Lim, Z, Baumberg, JJ, Cicuta, P, Mcdermott, S, Vodenicharski, B & Bowman, R 2020, 'Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope', Biomedical Optics Express, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 2447-2460. https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.385729

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abstract = "Optical microscopes are an essential tool for both the detection of disease in clinics, and for scientific analysis. However, in much of the world access to high-performance microscopy is limited by both the upfront cost and maintenance cost of the equipment. Here we present an open-source, 3D-printed, and fully-automated laboratory microscope, with motorised sample positioning and focus control. The microscope is highly customisable, with a number of options readily available including trans- and epi- illumination, polarisation contrast imaging, and epi-florescence imaging. The OpenFlexure microscope has been designed to enable low-volume manufacturing and maintenance by local personnel, vastly increasing accessibility. We have produced over 100 microscopes in Tanzania and Kenya for educational, scientific, and clinical applications, demonstrating that local manufacturing can be a viable alternative to international supply chains that can often be costly, slow, and unreliable.",

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note = "Funding Information: Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P029426/1, EP/R011443/1, EP/R013969/1); Royal Society (RGF\EA\181034, URF\R1\180153). As the Co-Founder, first CEO, Director of Innovation and Technology Development, and OLI PI at STICLab, Stanley Jaston Mwalembe dedicated his knowledge and scientific skills into contributing to the development of the OpenFlexure Microscope to suit an African context. He keenly saw the real life applications of sayansiScope (OpenFlexure Microscope as branded in Tanzania by STICLab) in schools, colleges, and universities and research centres across Tanzania. His journey and life as a whole have left a remarkable impression on this project, and we will miss his great mind and contributions. May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace. (Stanley Jaston Mwalembe; 11th March 1962- 21st March 2019) Presented data and analysis scripts are available at https://doi.org/10.15125/BATH-00734. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 OSA - The Optical Society. All rights reserved.",

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AU - Mayagaya, Valeriana

AU - Mwakajinga, Grace A.

AU - Nyakyi, Paul T.

AU - Sanga, Valerian L.

AU - Carbery, Dave

AU - White, Leah

AU - Dale, Sara

AU - Jieh Lim, Zhen

AU - Baumberg, Jeremy J.

AU - Cicuta, Pietro

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AB - Optical microscopes are an essential tool for both the detection of disease in clinics, and for scientific analysis. However, in much of the world access to high-performance microscopy is limited by both the upfront cost and maintenance cost of the equipment. Here we present an open-source, 3D-printed, and fully-automated laboratory microscope, with motorised sample positioning and focus control. The microscope is highly customisable, with a number of options readily available including trans- and epi- illumination, polarisation contrast imaging, and epi-florescence imaging. The OpenFlexure microscope has been designed to enable low-volume manufacturing and maintenance by local personnel, vastly increasing accessibility. We have produced over 100 microscopes in Tanzania and Kenya for educational, scientific, and clinical applications, demonstrating that local manufacturing can be a viable alternative to international supply chains that can often be costly, slow, and unreliable.

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Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

UR Fellowship - Robotic microscopy for globally accessible science & healthcare

Robotic microscopy for globally accessible science and healthcare

Automated microscopy for high-throughput malaria research.

Dataset for "Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure Microscope"

Cite this

Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure microscope

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

UR Fellowship - Robotic microscopy for globally accessible science & healthcare

Robotic microscopy for globally accessible science and healthcare

Automated microscopy for high-throughput malaria research.

Datasets

Dataset for "Robotic microscopy for everyone: the OpenFlexure Microscope"

Cite this