A review on low‐cost microscopes for Open Science

Abstract

This article presents a review after an exhaustive search that yielded 23 works carried out in the last decade for the availability of optical microscopes with open hardware as a low‐cost alternative to commercial systems. These works were developed with the aim of covering needs within several areas such as: Bio Sciences research in institutions with limited resources, diagnosis of diseases and health screenings in large populations in developing countries, and training in educational contexts with a need for high availability of equipment and low replacement cost. The analysis of the selected works allows us to classify the analyzed solutions into two main categories, for which their essential characteristics are enumerated: portable field microscopes and multipurpose automated microscopes. Moreover, this work includes a discussion on the degree of maturity of the solutions in terms of the adoption of practices aligned with the development of Open Science. Research Highlights Concise review on low‐cost microscopes for developing Open Science, exposing the role of smartphone‐based microscopy. The work classifies microscopes in two main categories: (1) portable field microscopes, and (2) multipurpose automated microscopes.

Machine Learning Workflow for Single-Cell Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ofKlebsiella pneumoniaeto Meropenem in Sub-Doubling Time

“…Compared to other single-cell analysis techniques that measure the nanoscale motion of bacteria and metabolic activities,[26–28] the MorphoAST workflow requires only a small inoculum size and a relatively simple setup consisting mainly of agar pads and a microscope. As imaging is common in AST[35,36] and low-cost microscopes are readily available, the MorphoAST workflow can be integrated with existing systems and implemented in a variety of settings. These advantages and characteristics will potentially increase the utility of MorphoAST for direct sample AST testing, especially in diseases like sepsis where the bacteria load in the blood is typically very low.…”

Towards global insect biomonitoring with frugal methods

“…However, more data for charismatic insects could be obtained by further simplifying data acquisition and the introduction of game playing elements (gamification), allowing very active users to earn reward badges (see the Seek app developed by iNaturalist: https:// www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app). To increase the number of observers, cost-effective open-source DIY digital microscopes can be built from two identical smartphones: the optics are salvaged from one and then placed in reverse in front of the other [34]. This ensures perfect 1:1 imaging from sample to the imaging chip at high resolution given that the pixel sizes in smartphones are typically below 2 µm.…”

Orthogonal-view microscope for the biomechanics investigations of aquatic organisms

“…Over the past two decades, significant advancements have been made in developing low-cost microscopes and other DIY hardware. Salido et al comprehensively summarize these advances in their review [9] . Del Rosario et al provide key considerations for constructing microscopes using 3D printing [10] .…”