What do you get when you combine an iPhone 5 camera module with LEGO? According to German researchers, the combination can create an affordable high-resolution microscope that kids can build. A paper written by the three German researchers (via DPReview) includes plenty of details about the project including a list of the parts you’ll need.
The researchers, Bart E. Vos, Emil Betz Blesa and Timo Betz, said, “Our aim is to introduce a microscope to individual students in a classroom setting, both as a scientific tool to access the micro-world and to facilitate the understanding of fundamental principles of the optical components of a microscope in a playful and motivating, yet precise approach. By basing the design on LEGO, we aim to make the microscope modular, cheap, and inspiring.”
How much money you’ll have to spend in Euros to build your LEGO microscope
The price to build the microscope came to €102 (which converts to $121 U.S. Dollars at current exchange rates). That includes the cost of the iPhone 5 lens which the researchers were able to obtain for $5. And the documentation is available online for the low, low price of free.
Schematic look of the LEGO microscope’s light path
This would seem to be a rewarding project and for you teachers out there, the researchers say that “a preliminary study with 8 students in the age range of 9–13 shows that the understanding of microscopy increases after working with the LEGO microscope.”
