This small lens turns your smartphone into a polarizing microscope, compatible with iPhones and Android phones.
A new camera accessory on Kickstarter offers amplification capabilities of up to 1200x.
The iMicro Q3p is a finger-sized microscope lens that attaches to your smartphone's camera, allowing for an incredible magnification of up to 1200x. This device, which is part of a series of microscopes funded on Kickstarter over the last six years, exemplifies how one can carry a powerful microscope in their pocket.
Like its predecessor, the iMicro Q3, the Q3p has the capability to observe objects at submicronic levels, which means less than one micron. To put this in perspective, an average human hair measures approximately 70 microns and a red blood cell is around 8 microns, highlighting the impressive optical capacity of this device.
The combination of optical magnification with the digital capability of the smartphone's screen allows for objects to be represented at up to 1200 times their actual size. This far exceeds what can be achieved with the best macro lenses available on the market or even with the 40x microscopic sensor of the Realme GT 2 Pro.
A significant improvement in the Q3p is the inclusion of a polarizer, which enhances the contrast and colors of the observed images. This accessory is particularly useful for examining the structure of crystals and minerals, as their visual properties change based on the direction of the light passing through them.
The Q3p, which measures just half an inch and weighs less than 0.5 g, is presented as a highly versatile and portable imaging tool, available at an affordable price of CA$55 (approximately $39 / £31) on Kickstarter. This affordability makes it a much more practical and economical alternative to a professional desktop microscope.
The uses of a pocket microscope are vast, ranging from science classes to industrial applications. The ability to observe and measure high-resolution polarized images with 1200x magnification holds great educational and commercial potential, especially as it can be done using a smartphone already in the user's possession.
The iMicro Q3p adheres to the smartphone through thousands of tiny suction cups that mimic the mobility of a gecko's feet, allowing it to be used with any brand and model of phone, eliminating the need for mounts or additional accessories. Moreover, it can be removed and reused without leaving any residue, making it easy for multiple users to share the same lens.
The kit also includes a focusing stand, designed based on the suggestions of backers from previous versions. This stand allows for greater control when focusing on objects at high levels of magnification and conveniently stores alongside the Q3p, making it even more useful and easy to carry. Additionally, a scale micrometer is included, enabling precise measurements of enlarged objects when calibrated with the i-Seeing app.
While the Q3p does not replace professional laboratory microscopes, it offers similar performance at a much lower price and in a convenient format.