Portable Microscopy in Gamboa, Panama

Still image of a water sample revealing a micro organisms; taken on the portable microscope.

2022. Pelican case, corrugated plastic, Raspberry Pi, LCD screen, Open Flexure microscope, electronics.

Created in collaboration with Eli Silver in Gamboa, Panama.

This microscope is designed to fit into a Pelican case and brought into the rainforest. While in conversation with scientists working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, we learned that it is uncommon for microscopic specimens to be studied on the site that they were collected. This portable microscope allows the user to take photos and videos of samples right where they are collected, making this kind of research more accessible to those who do not have a full lab set-up.