$1 DIY paper microscope!

Inventions and innovations do not necessarily need sophisticated equipment, huge capital investments or venture capital funding — it just needs some intelligence and grey matter coupled with a positive mental attitude and an out-of-the-box thinking ability.

Quite easily one... Bio-engineer Manu Prakash (left), who with his team came up with a foldable microscope (Right) made of paper.

This is demonstrated very aptly and ably by one of the Assistant Professors of Bio-Engineering at the famed Stanford University who has devised a microscope made out of paper!

Bio-Engineer Manu Prakash along with his team at Stanford have conceptualised a simple light microscope which is made out of paper, is foldable so fits in the pocket, costs a paltry $1 or so and can be assembled by simply folding it in appropriate places.

This Do-It-Yourself (DIY) microscope, which is christened Foldscope, can be used by physicians, doctors and researchers to diagnose the most common bacteria such as malaria. The Foldscope, is indeed an extremely innovative method to manufacture optical microscopes from a single sheet of paper folded like the Japanese art of Origami and uses a drop of optical quality glue as a lens.Foldscope has the ability to provide about 2000X magnification, weighs about 8gms, is pocket sized and has a thin plastic coating making it more durable and obviously works sans power thereby making it completely green.

The Foldscope will be undergoing a Beta testing with a sample size of 10,000 users soon.

Manu and his research team have made it a mission to leverage science and technology to devise simple tools which can address global health issues and also promote science education. Manu expects to ship out 50,000 microscopes to about 130 countries across the globe and hopes to see his vision and dreams unfold.

prashant.vadgaonkar@hotmail.com