Note that this is a different meme than the popular "you can make your own working general purpose camera out of cardboard". That meme is moderately popular an

Note that this is a different meme than the popular "you can make your own working general purpose camera out of cardboard". That meme is moderately popular and has been successfully implemented many times. This is a different concept, of a precision manufactured, very cheap, single use, very specific medical test microscope generally revolving around a projection display technology. I'm not saying its not cool. It is cool and is a net gain to humanity etc. Its just probably not what you're thinking it is based on the short description. I think a general purpose "print/fold at home" microscope for educational purposes would be interesting, along the lines of numerous successful cardboard photographic cameras, and maybe even useful. The linked article, although also cool, has nothing to do with that meme, and is almost the precise opposite other than common construction material. Also this is an old story, even if newly reported. I remember watching the TED talk from the TED RSS feed during a blizzard some months ago. As per Colin's post this is the 12th time its been featured on HN.