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MicrobeScope turns iPhones into self-sufficient portable microscopes

The Premise. Using a microscope is a necessity for many scientific professionals, but it often needs to be set up in a dedicated lab and often lacks the ability to easily share findings or visual data. One company wants to make the entire experience portable, simple, and require no additional equipment.

The Product.  Connecting effortlessly to an iPhone, the MicrobeScope is a portable 800x microscope that does not require keeping slides handy. There are no complicated dials or settings, making it easy for children to use but powerful enough for professionals. With an internal light source and AAA battery, there’s no need for any additional equipment. Even more enticing is the ability to record and share videos taken through the microscope lens in real-time. If more magnification is required, the camera can be zoomed to 2,000x without a significant drop in picture quality, and the iPhone 5s’s slow motion feature can be used as well to see more detailed movement.

The Pitch. In the campaign video, the President of 4D Optical lets his product do the talking, showing videos taken with the MicrobeScope of bacteria, spores, and even hot sauce. Afterwards, he demonstrates how simple it is to clean and apply a sample to the device, a process that takes mere seconds. Also included is the story of how the product was developed and designed, as well as other videos of various samples taken using the MicrobeScope. 4D Optical needs $10,000 to bring the MicrobeScope to market.

The Perks. Getting a MicrobeScope by June will take a pledge of $125. The only other real reward tier option is an awesome customized MicrobeScope with professional-grade optics for $10,000.

The Potential. A microscope is something that someone either needs enough to merit spending big bucks on a professional grade model, or probably doesn’t need one at all. However, the power, flexibility, and simplicity of this pocket-sized device could be helpful for science projects, field work, and could even find application in disease control, as samples could be observed on-site. The very nature of the product makes it really only a game-changer for a niche market, but it certainly will make a splash in that niche.