14 DAY TRIAL // 4D Optical has announced a Kickstarter project to mass produce a unique “MicrobeScope” that works with your iPhone to record video of the bacteria living on everything we see and touch.
You can use it without the iPhone just fine, but thanks to its iPhone compatibility, you can zoom in even more, watch the critters move in slow motion, and even record and share videos.
4D Optical explains that “The MicrobeScope is a very powerful fixed focus instrument capable of viewing sub 1micron features of individual bacteria and other life forms at the physical limits of optical resolution.”
“It works great in the field, in the lab, or at home yet is simple enough for a child to use. It doesn’t require any supplies like glass slides, and there are no knobs to adjust,” its creators say.
Users of all ages will be able to place a specimen on the inverted lens beneath the light source (powered by a single AAA battery) and achieve a whopping 800x magnification.
4D Optical believes the instrument it has created is “unmatched by other small scopes and the phone mount is a game changer because of the ability to share real time video.”
It works both with iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s (probably iPhone 5c too). The best way to take advantage of the MicrobeScope is to use a 5s, thanks to the 2,000x zoom capability and the slo-mo feature.
“The zoom features on newer iPhones can increase the magnification capability to 2,000x with near diffraction-limited performance, and one of the best things about using a mobile phone to capture video is that audio notes or narration can be easily added,” the company adds.
“Our favorite feature with the iPhone 5s is the slow motion capture ability. Many microbes move at very high speeds and slow motion capture enables us to see them do some pretty weird things.”
You’ll need to pledge $115 (€83.23) or more to nab one and 4D Optical will have it shipped to your door in May this year. A shipping fee will also be incurred by pledgers.
“We hope that each Kickstarter will send us a 10- second video clip of their favorite microbial discovery using the MicrobeScope so we can share how cool it is with the world,” adds 4D Optical.
Visit the Kickstarter page to review the project up close and, why not, pledge to secure your own MicrobeScope.