The light microscope has been a cost effective instrument in observational science for centuries, but there are some situations where using visible light as a tool has its limits, forcing investigators to use much more costly alternatives. However, most users of the instrumentation do not have the skills that would enable them to make the most effective use of this instrument or unlock its full potential. Some of these issues include but are not limited to:
However, there are approaches that can be used to augment what we can already do, for instance: fluorescence microscopy, UV-microscopy, phase-contrast microscopy and digital reconstruction. Each of these approaches can greatly improve imaging power, and even more so when used in conjunction; however, each method requires specific design considerations.
Given the above opportunity, this IPRO project emulates that of a research and design company where the R&D participants work with and share responsibility for research, design, technology development and market research. Considering that the global microscopy market is projected to be worth ~$6billion by 2019, investors will be motivated to contribute to a well-researched plan with prototype technology on the bench…. as long as they are presented in a well-substantiated and actionable plan to capture an enticing share of that market. Therefore, in addition to the understanding needed to create a novel technology, the participants as a team, must understand who will want to buy it, why, where they are, and what design considerations will sell better versus the cost of design and production.
The IPRO team will benefit from the experience of the Orgel research group in building an in-house ultra-high resolution microscope through an open source approach. This collaboration will greatly bolster the analytical capabilities of the student team, and help ensure that at the end of the project they have a functional and potentially marketable instrument.
The objective of this IPRO project is to design, implement, and market a system or systems of novel light-microscopy instrumentation and interpolation software that may represent commercially viable products. This approach is cheap and accessible compared to existing systems, which typically can cost upwards of $5,000-$100,000 and have esoteric and inflexible programming which limits their usefulness for the average lab. Therefore, ease of configuration and expansion for later improvement is crucial for both cost and operating effectiveness. The Orgel lab already has a prototype and parts in hand to instruct from for the IPRO class. This base gives a strong start to the team and helps ensure a beneficial and fluid experience during the rapid prototyping stage.
Based on the above design principles already established, the IPRO team will specify and assemble the components to make the working base instrument while familiarizing themselves with the design and seeking insights into improvements and customization related to the target market. The methods begin with digital reconstruction (super resolution + backprojection + 3D reconstruction + thresholding) of the base platform and later move on to fluorescence, UV, and Phase-contrast microscopy as time allows.
The team will be organized in several team work modules, with students participating in more than one module:
It is assumed that students joining this IPRO team collectively have a foundation of scientific, engineering and business knowledge of the various technologies and skills represented in this IPRO. Their knowledge and skills will be developed further during the course of this IPRO experience. Knowledge, skills and experience in the following are an asset to the team and will be developed further through this IPRO experience: knowledge of Arduino or other/ microcontrollers, basic knowledge of stepper motors and how to use them, experience/aptitude with open source software, (for instance OpenJ), knowledge of optics, fluorescence, and compound microscopy, experience with wiring electronics such as circuit boards or LEDs, and CAD experience.
The interdisciplinary team of engineering (e.g., electrical, computer, biomedical), science (e.g., physics, biology, chemistry) and other majors (e.g., business, applied math), complemented by faculty and staff associated with Dr. Orgel’s research lab, will form small task orientated teams that work on each of the modules (1-5) while keeping the team as a whole updated on their progress at the weekly progress meeting and via updates of a closed (invite only) social media group. It is anticipated that any one student may play a role on more than one tax group in order to assure that there is sufficient task support and there is natural and effective cross-team communication.
