Super cheap microscope made of paper

Foldscope is a paper microscope that costs less than a dollar but is durable and extremely convenient.

“In short, this is a fantastic device,” entomologist and science reporter Aaron Pomerantz wrote on his website last month after taking the glasses to the Amazon jungle in Peru.

Specimen under the magnifying lens of Foldscope. Photo: CNN

"I can study insects, parasites, fungi and plant cells from 140X to 480X magnification."

The glasses were invented by Stanford University bioengineer Manu Prakash. They can magnify up to 2,000 times. "It's very simple, easy to assemble and use even for children," Prakash said.

“We hope to stimulate people’s curiosity,” Prakash said. “Our ambition is that every child can carry a microscope in their pocket.”

According to CNN, the microscope is printed on cardboard and takes just a few minutes to assemble in origami style (traditional Japanese paper folding). The paper, lens and other components cost only $0.50.

Last year, Prakash and his team distributed 10,000 Foldscopes to test users. In addition to stimulating curiosity, Prakash hopes the Foldscope can help health care workers diagnose blood-borne diseases quickly, safely, and cheaply in the field.

“I wanted to create the best disease detection tool we could for next to nothing. The result of this project is something we call a disposable microscope,” he said on Stanford’s blog last year.

According to VnExpress