Most of us would think that a microscope is not something that is cheap, so it should always be handled with care. Apart from that, knowing how to use a microscope, as in being able to understand what you’re seeing too, is extremely important. Manu Prakash, who is also a Stanford assistant professor and TED Fellow, has come up with the Foldscope. From the name itself, you can more or less tell that this is one microscope that can be folded, and not only that, it is also going to be easy on the pockets. In a nutshell, this its the perfect “device” that will come in handy in remote areas as well as developing countries which lack the basic medical infrastructure.
The Foldscope paper microscope has definitely attracted its fair amount of interest, where it can be fitted on to one sheet of A4 paper which makes it a snap to ship in extremely large figures. Taking a mere seven minutes or so to assemble, there are no mechanical moving parts to worry about, and it does not require any form of external power either. If you think that it is going to be flimsy, you’re mistaken, despite coming on paper. Basically, one printout is all you need, as everything from the lenses to the batteries arrive on the paper itself.
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