Smart microscope uncovers the unseen on tablet-sized touchscreen

As competitions like Nikon Small World demonstrate, there's a lot going on around us that we can't see. Cheap desktop microscopes can provide access to such secret worlds for regular folks like you and me, and tech company BeaverLab has launched a smart digital model called the Darwin MX Pro.

BeaverLab has enjoyed quite a bit of success on crowdfunding platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter, and its latest smart digital microscope has launched on the latter. In essence, the idea behind the Darwin MX Pro is to introduce would-be scientists to the unseen microscopic world with a modern setup that doesn't bust the bank.

Instead of looking through an eyepiece to see magnified versions of the tiny objects like I did when I was younger, users of the Darwin MX Pro can see all on a 9-inch IPS touchscreen display with 24-bit color. Three different magnification levels are on offer via manually selected APO optics, bringing objects as small as 0.01 microns into view.

BeaverLab reports that the coated objective lenses are designed to nip glare and ghosting in the bud, while also correcting chromatic aberrations. Manual focus is undertaken using big yellow dials on the frame, but fine focus is available onscreen. Users are treated to dual LED light sources – on above, one below – to illuminate samples. The system can even employ RGB staining, "which uses a non-polluting illumination method to help visualize cellular components and structures while preserving specimen integrity."

The Darwin MX Pro also features real-time survey and mapping tools with touch or mouse control. "Its mouse control function enables flexible, comfortable handling, while integrated tools offer automatic measurement, calibration adjustments, and binarization, isolating backgrounds for clearer imaging," explained BeaverLab. "Additional features like relief and reverse color enhance depth, three-dimensionality, and contrast for detailed visualization."

A 1/3-inch image sensor captures magnified imagery at 2,560 x 1,440 pixels to 8 GB of solid-state storage, and onscreen controls allow for such images to be edited on the device itself. The imaging system also enables 2K/30fps video recording. The device can share discoveries wirelessly with smartphones, tablets or smart TVs over Wi-Fi.

The microscope comes with two magnetic specimen clips to help secure slides to the device's adjustable stage. It features a built-in 5,000-mAh battery that's reckoned good for up to 6 hours of use before needing a top-up over USB-C. And the IPS screen can be folded down for more compact storage.

As mentioned, BeaverLab has launched the project on Kickstarter, where pledges currently start at US$249 – which represents a 50% saving on the expected retail price. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start from January 2025. The awkwardly narrated video below has more.

Source: BeaverLab