Cell phone microscopes could help identify asbestos and other environmental toxins
A team at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed a new type of cell phone microscope. UCLA Professor Aydogan Ozcan has created a series of phone attachments that can act as microscopes without lenses, using hardware that costs under $10. Ozcan has started a new company Microskia to market the microscope attachments and connect them to a database that will text the user’s cell phone with results in only five minutes.
This new form of microscope would be a breakthrough in the field of global medicine, allowing even remote villages without a nearby laboratory or doctor to get reliable test results via mobile phone. A cell phone microscope could identify HIV or malaria around the world in a matter of minutes, rather than waiting days for even routine cases in some parts of the world. Even in the United States, the potential for private use is impressive; individuals could take blood samples at home and test for pathogens, potentially coming up with a diagnosis before symptoms manifest. This technology could also be used to help detect asbestos, lead and other environmental toxins.
A team at UC Berkley has created a similar device called the cellscope. It uses no lenses and magnifies digitally rather than optically using the Lensless Ultra-wide-field Cell monitoring Array platform based on Shadow imaging (LUCAS). LUCAS does not produce traditional images, however, so a database is necessary because even experienced lab technicians may be unable to come up with a diagnosis on their own.
For the full story, go to Singularity Hub.
