a microscope made of water

built for the Open Sauce maker expo

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**Find out** when we open source our project!

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Who are we?

We’re three friends who love to make stuff and try out fun, crazy, and sometimes stupid ideas.

• Isaac Lock ([email protected]) majored in biological engineering and philosophy.
• Asal Vaghefzadeh ([email protected]) majored in computer science and brain & cognitive science.
• Kanokwan Tungkitkancharoen ([email protected]) majors in mechanical engineering and minors in public policy.

What did we build?

We built a microscope that magnifies using water instead of glass.

How does it work?

Most microscopes use glass lenses to magnify. Water is also capable of refracting light. The surface tension of water creates a spherical shape, much like a lens.

• If you’re curious, here’s some nerdy optics math stuff.

What are applications of it?

1. We see it as a tool that can be deployed in under-resourced labs, like those in developing countries and small town classrooms, as it costs around $30—compared to commercially available microscopes, which typically cost hundreds to thousands of dollars.
2. It also makes for a fun DIY project at home for kids to learn how microscopy works.
3. And, to be honest, we’re grateful that it gave us the opportunity to attend Open Sauce!