Microscope designed at the University of Glasgow wins international recognition
Published: 24 September 2024
The OpenFlexure Microscope, a design for a digital robotic microscope that can be manufactured in sub-Saharan Africa, has been selected as a 2024 Solver team by the renowned MIT Solve.
The OpenFlexure Microscope has been selected as a 2024 Solver team by the renowned MIT Solve.
The OpenFlexure Microscope is a design for a digital robotic microscope that can be manufactured in sub-Saharan Africa and is currently undergoing evaluation for malaria and cancer diagnosis. The microscope was selected by Solve’s expert judges from a pool of over 2,200 applicants from 130 countries.
The OpenFlexure Project is headquartered at the University of Glasgow. Since 2016 the project has been creating publicly available designs for laboratory grade microscopes that can be built anywhere in the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRHeQRbf2U8
The novel microscope mechanism can be printed in plastic on a standard 3D printer printer. Remarkably, the plastic mechanism is capable of controlled motorised movements smaller than a red blood cell. Using an advanced algorithm similar to the panorama mode on a mobile phone, the microscope can create enormous high-resolution digital images.
The microscope has been designed in collaboration with teams across the world. As the microscope plans are available for anyone to download online, the microscope has been replicated independently by individuals and organisations all over the world. As the project doesn't track who is building the microscope, it can't be sure exactly how many have been made.
"We know that there are hundreds of microscope users on our forum, and many more not on the forum. These users have told us they have been built or used microscopes in over 50 countries, in all seven continents." said Dr Richard Bowman of the School of Physics & Astronomy, founder of the OpenFlexure project.
Dr Bowman was invited to New York City to pitch to an audience of more than 200 philanthropists, global leaders, and investors during Solve Challenge Finals, which takes place at the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week.
Some members of the OpenFlexure team: (l-r) Freya Whiteford (University of Glasgow), Professor William Wadsworth (University of Bath), Richard Bowman (University of Glasgow), Julian Stirling (Foxhill Engineering) and Joe Knapper (University of Glasgow)
The OpenFlexure Project received $10,000 from MIT Solve, a share of $100,000 from the Health Equity Innovation Fund, supported by Johnson and Johnson Foundation.
The project will use the funding to scale impact and reach more lives. Additionally, the OpenFlexure Project will begin a nine-month support program through MIT Solve and receive access to additional funding opportunities, resources, experts, and mentorship.
The OpenFlexure team hope that this support from MIT Solve will enable the project to move from evaluating microscopes, to the supporting the production of medically certified microscopes.
"Some may argue that the fastest way to certification would have been to keep the design secret and to manufacture microscopes in the UK, but that would have only added to an existing global problem." said Dr Julian Stirling, a core OpenFlexure developer based in Bath.
The majority of medical devices coming to Europe and North America lie idle in sub-Saharan Africa. "For a microscope to be reliable, it needs to have been designed for the environment it is being used in. Spare parts and specialised maintenance engineers must also be available locally. Enabling companies around the world to manufacture and maintain microscopes for their local market is the only way to ensure that microscopes remain functioning," Dr Stirling added.
The OpenFlexure Project is already working with manufacturers in Tanzania and Cameroon to help them build capacity to manufacture their own medical microscopes. Importantly, this manufacturing would be controlled and owned entirely by the local companies.
Evaluation of the microscope for medical diagnosis is also ongoing in Tanzania, Rwanda, Brazil, and the Philippines. Baylor College of Medicine in Texas is also playing a critical role in the evaluation of the microscope's performance.
"We have refined the design and evaluated it through several research projects at the Universities, so we are confident in its performance. We have excellent partners around the globe who have demonstrated that high quality microscopes can be produced in country, and that these microscopes have clinical applications.
“Our participation in MIT Solve will help take the next step, connecting us to a network of support to help our manufacturing partners deliver locally manufactured and maintained microscopes with approval for medical use." added Dr Bowman.
First published: 24 September 2024