4 ms·

How do I purchase one? Is it possible to attach to a phone to take a picture? Here is their website: http://www.foldscope.com/ http://www.foldscope.com/ Why

by dm2 13y ago

How do I purchase one? Is it possible to attach to a phone to take a picture? Here is their website: http://www.foldscope.com/ http://www.foldscope.com/ Why would the initial test to 10,000 if it only costs $1. I would gladly pay $5 (if that includes shipping). If there is a version 2, I would gladly pay $5 to purchase that one also. This reminds me of the Cartmanland commercial, "awesome new themepark, and you can't come!"

tmikaeld 13y ago
Short answer: You can't! From the FAQ: "Foldscope is not yet commercially available. Foldscope is a project out of Prakash Lab, a research group in the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University. We are working hard to make the microscopes commercially available via a spinoff/startup while keeping the mission and our goal aligned to the big vision from our viewpoint. More details of the same will be posted here at some point."
- netcraft 13y ago
  I wish that had a date, and some information about when it might be commercially available.
  - baldfat 13y ago
    My Brother In-law wife and three kids are moving to Zambia for 5 years. This would really help out the medical part of their mission, as well as digging wells.
  - dsfadadsffd 13y ago
    not happening
  - Tenoke 13y ago
    I wouldn't hold my breath. In pretty much all articles I've read over the last few years they always leave the impression that it would be available fairly soon, however, no product gets released. I am actually very surprised that people still get this excited over the same piece of news.
Aardwolf 13y ago
I wonder if it's also possible to make it yourself from paper? Or 3D print it? Not that the makers don't deserve the money!
- yitchelle 13y ago
  Maybe not from paper, but the research paper is here[1], so no obstacles. Right? :-) [1] - http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1403/1403.1211.pdf http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1403/1403.1211.pdf
  - Steuard 13y ago
    Side note (as a scientist who uses the site): there are lots of different ways to share an arXiv.org link, but in almost every case the best option is this: http://arxiv.org/abs/1403.1211 http://arxiv.org/abs/1403.1211 That links to an abstract page for the same paper you linked to rather than the full PDF, and it's a lot shorter to type (and less specific about format). This form often avoids accidentally linking to an outdated version of the file, too.
- dm2 13y ago
  I think there are a couple components that can't be printed such as the lens and the optional LED.
paulgerhardt 13y ago
If you're ever in China you can pick up cheap microscopes for $2-$4 with 50-150x magnification that fit to your phone's camera with a special case. They are absolutely wonderful for factory inspections.[1] I have a few but my preferred model looks like this: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.80.ScwWS1&id=35907651095 http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.80.ScwWS1&id=... Desktop microscopes with HDMI out, 5" monitor, and 500x zoom can be picked up for about $80 [1] http://instagram.com/p/eRjdQiNIOi/ http://instagram.com/p/eRjdQiNIOi/
- SiVal 13y ago
  If you're ever in China you can pick up cheap microscopes Where exactly? I might want to check them out...
  - waps 13y ago
    Presumably it's things like this : http://www.dx.com/p/60x-zoom-led-micro-lens-microscope-w-back-case-for-iphone-5-silver-black-190320 http://www.dx.com/p/60x-zoom-led-micro-lens-microscope-w-bac...
  - paulgerhardt 13y ago
    That Taobao link above is good start. Taobao is incredible. That said, if you're not set up with local bank account and mailing address one can find them in any electronics market. SEG Plaza in Shenzhen or Modern Electronic City in Shanghai should have them for 20 kuai. They usually come with an ultraviolet led for currency fraud detection - there are so many small stores and so many people in China that these are basically ubiquitous. There is a trickle down effect on Amazon too: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=phone%20microscope&sprefix=phone+microsc%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aphone%20microscope http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D... - see for instance the one available for $3.96 - I would splurge and get the square boxy one though.

by dm2 13y ago

tmikaeld 13y ago

Short answer: You can't! From the FAQ: "Foldscope is not yet commercially available. Foldscope is a project out of Prakash Lab, a research group in the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University. We are working hard to make the microscopes commercially available via a spinoff/startup while keeping the mission and our goal aligned to the big vision from our viewpoint. More details of the same will be posted here at some point."

netcraft 13y ago
I wish that had a date, and some information about when it might be commercially available.
- baldfat 13y ago
  My Brother In-law wife and three kids are moving to Zambia for 5 years. This would really help out the medical part of their mission, as well as digging wells.
- dsfadadsffd 13y ago
  not happening
- Tenoke 13y ago
  I wouldn't hold my breath. In pretty much all articles I've read over the last few years they always leave the impression that it would be available fairly soon, however, no product gets released. I am actually very surprised that people still get this excited over the same piece of news.

Aardwolf 13y ago

I wonder if it's also possible to make it yourself from paper? Or 3D print it? Not that the makers don't deserve the money!

yitchelle 13y ago
Maybe not from paper, but the research paper is here[1], so no obstacles. Right? :-) [1] - http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1403/1403.1211.pdf http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1403/1403.1211.pdf
- Steuard 13y ago
  Side note (as a scientist who uses the site): there are lots of different ways to share an arXiv.org link, but in almost every case the best option is this: http://arxiv.org/abs/1403.1211 http://arxiv.org/abs/1403.1211 That links to an abstract page for the same paper you linked to rather than the full PDF, and it's a lot shorter to type (and less specific about format). This form often avoids accidentally linking to an outdated version of the file, too.
dm2 13y ago
I think there are a couple components that can't be printed such as the lens and the optional LED.

paulgerhardt 13y ago

If you're ever in China you can pick up cheap microscopes for $2-$4 with 50-150x magnification that fit to your phone's camera with a special case. They are absolutely wonderful for factory inspections.[1] I have a few but my preferred model looks like this: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.80.ScwWS1&id=35907651095 http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.80.ScwWS1&id=... Desktop microscopes with HDMI out, 5" monitor, and 500x zoom can be picked up for about $80 [1] http://instagram.com/p/eRjdQiNIOi/ http://instagram.com/p/eRjdQiNIOi/

SiVal 13y ago
If you're ever in China you can pick up cheap microscopes Where exactly? I might want to check them out...
- waps 13y ago
  Presumably it's things like this : http://www.dx.com/p/60x-zoom-led-micro-lens-microscope-w-back-case-for-iphone-5-silver-black-190320 http://www.dx.com/p/60x-zoom-led-micro-lens-microscope-w-bac...
- paulgerhardt 13y ago
  That Taobao link above is good start. Taobao is incredible. That said, if you're not set up with local bank account and mailing address one can find them in any electronics market. SEG Plaza in Shenzhen or Modern Electronic City in Shanghai should have them for 20 kuai. They usually come with an ultraviolet led for currency fraud detection - there are so many small stores and so many people in China that these are basically ubiquitous. There is a trickle down effect on Amazon too: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=phone%20microscope&sprefix=phone+microsc%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aphone%20microscope http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D... - see for instance the one available for $3.96 - I would splurge and get the square boxy one though.