Category Archives: AutoScope

AutoScope 2.0 : Cameras

2019-01-09 ron

I’ve tried using the included lenses on three cameras, but none of them gave good image quality. So, my current work-around is to remove the camera lens and use the regular eyepiece lens — I printed an adapter which attaches the camera to the eyepiece. It gets a similar field of view as the eye. The attached photos are 10x with 25x eyepieces (250x) and 40x with 25x (1000x). Stained apple and a 0.01mm/div calibration slide.

I’ve had the best luck with a CS type mount camera. This one has a CS mount: https://amzn.to/2Avl0b9 If I was to buy it again, I’d try to find it without the lens, as I’m not using it. Maybe for another project. 🙂 I have not tried any “normal” microscope cameras, as I’m trying to keep the cost down. (I’ve not been overly careful, so you see specks, which is likely dust on the sensor.)

I was planning on discarding the outer part of the images. The idea was to bulk process them, having GIMP (or whatever) crop to the center portion of the image. Then run the cropped images through the stitcher. (The control software will have to be told how many steps to move, to make sure there is sufficient overlap, but that has to happen anyway.)

Since I’m getting nicer color out of the 2MP camera, I’ll be testing with that. I’m going to design a mount for the RGB sensor and attach to the other eyepiece. I’ll let you know how that works out.

Arduino, AutoScope, Electronics, Making Stuff

AutoScope 2.0 : Home : RGB Sensor

2019-01-09 ron

I thought the TCS-34725 RGB color sensor (https://amzn.to/2M0ZqzB) might be the solution, but it’s not. I printed a little slide carrier in black, so I could cut out the ‘scopes light when out of range. That worked great, until the next day and I had sunlight.

The sensor is good at picking up reflected light off the top of the slide. Which is fine for other applications, but no good for us. (Unless we run the ‘scope in a dark room.) I’m not able to get clear in/out of range readings with the reflected light getting in the way.

I still may use the sensor, as a very-rough “print preview” of the scan. It does change values as I move across a sample. However, if ambient light changes, you get shifts in the color. So it’s not very repeatable.

3D Printing, Arduino, AutoScope, Making Stuff

AutoScope 2.0 : Source Code

2018-11-27 ron

Is now posted and will be maintained (here are there) on GitHub. Including the OpenSCAD models (for gears), STLs, etc. I’ll get some Arduino code up there shortly.

https://github.com/nelsonii

3D Printing, Arduino, AutoScope, Electronics, Making Stuff

AutoScope 2.0 : The Reboot!

2018-11-27 ron

It’s been a long time since I’ve worked on this project. But, thanks to students and professors around the world, I’ve been prodded and motivated to restart the project.

Sometimes waiting pays off, as someone designed a while new mount for the AmScope that fits it perfectly. No more belts! After much tweaking I’ve got gears properly sized, in OpenSCAD (so you can modify for your scope), and X and Y are moving fine.

I’ll be doing more write-ups soon, and all files will be posted (likely on Thingiverse and GitHub). Here are some links to keep you busy for now: