Pocket MUSE: an affordable, versatile and high-performance fluorescence microscope using a smartphone

Abstract

Smartphone microscopes can be useful tools for a broad range of imaging applications. This manuscript demonstrates the first practical implementation of Microscopy with Ultraviolet Surface Excitation (MUSE) in a compact smartphone microscope called Pocket MUSE, resulting in a remarkably effective design. Fabricated with parts from consumer electronics that are readily available at low cost, the small optical module attaches directly over the rear lens in a smartphone. It enables high-quality multichannel fluorescence microscopy with submicron resolution over a 10× equivalent field of view. In addition to the novel optical configuration, Pocket MUSE is compatible with a series of simple, portable, and user-friendly sample preparation strategies that can be directly implemented for various microscopy applications for point-of-care diagnostics, at-home health monitoring, plant biology, STEM education, environmental studies, etc. Liu et al. present Pocket MUSE, a portable and low‐cost smartphone microscope that can be assembled from readily available parts. The microscope is capable of multichannel fluorescence microscopy with submicron resolution. The imaging prowess of Pocket MUSE is demonstrated thoroughly.