Mobile Phone Microscope: Pointless Device?
by Liam Bailey
2008-03-22 22:27:02 **news**
Researchers at the University of California have invented a device that turns camera-phones into mobile microscopes. The device is being hailed as a great tool for doctors, because images can be taken of the blood-workups, or whatever else is being microscopically analysed, and the images can be sent for better analysis, using mobile phone internet connections and wi-fi.
The device comes in a 5x magnification version for taking images of moles and rashes etc, and an up to 60x magnification version for capturing the microscopic analysis of things like blood-cells and parasites. The technology will be trialled in Uganda by the makers before being officially released.
I personally can't see it being all that effective, in fact I can't see the point. The type of scientists who will have the need for it would I'm sure far rather them to have invented a Bluetooth microscope. Though I'm sure many of them will just continue using what they already do.
