Our Product
We strive to produce an economical microscope that promotes accessibility compared to standard microscopy. Our solution is the SmartFlex Microscope, an integrated, 3D printed microscope capable of transmission and fluorescence imaging via smartphone.
By using the advancements of 3D printing, the device will be inexpensive and portable. Replacing the traditionally used camera with a smartphone will increase the accessibility and decrease the cost. The design of the device will allow for easy reconfiguration to operate in transmittance and fluorescence modes. Once built, a smartphone app will be developed to store and share image data for analysis. This device is a potential game changer in numerous fields from emergency medicine to increasing hands-on experiential learning in K-12 education.
Marketing Strategy
Our target market consist of underfunded K-12 schools, science enthusiasts, and research applications. More specifically, we want to focus on schools that are underfunded and cannot afford standard microscopes. Our plan is to sell kits where people can assemble them. The kits would include 3D printed parts, objective lenses, and batteries with an LED light.
However, our goal is to reach as many people as we can so we want to make this open source as well. As of right now, 3D printing the parts with PLA and PVA material seems to be the best option. This will require access to a 3D printer. Instructables.com is a open source website where people can come and learn how to make DIY projects!
Competitor Analysis
| Company | 3D Printed Parts | Smart Phone Camera | Raspberry Pi Camera & Motors | Fluorescence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenFlexure Microscope | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| LudusScope | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| SmartFlex Microscope | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ |
Compared to its competitors, the SmartFlex Microscope increases quality of imaging by using a smartphone camera (12-16 megapixels) instead of a raspberry pi camera (5 megapixels). Implementation of a smartphone increases the simplicity of the microscope by decreasing parts needed for assembly. Additionaly, the SmartFlex Microscope incorporates fluorescence imaging.