Lab-quality microscope now mounts onto most Apple iOS devices
The ProScope Micro Mobile by handheld digital microscope manufacturer Bodelin starts shipping on May 1 for $149.
To my fellow geeks who've long dreamed of having a lab-quality digital microscope that mounts to your phone, the time has come.
Oregon-based optics manufacturer Bodelin will begin shipping its brand-new ProScope Micro Mobile on May 1. One version fits the iPhone 4, 4s, 5, and iPod Touch; another the iPad; and another the iPad Mini. Whatever size, it will set you back $149.
The microscope mounts to the devices via a nylon/ABS sleeve, which positions the lens over the device's camera lens. Surrounded by a dozen adjustable-brightness LEDs to illuminate the object of choice and reduce surface reflection, the lens provides 20-80x magnification. The scope's lithium-ion battery charges via USB in two hours and powers for five.
The folks at Bodelin recognized the shift from laptops to phones and tablets, but they also remembered to include a desk stand so the devices can be propped up and used hands-free. Check it out in action in the video below.
And if it's important to you, they say the ProScope Micro Mobile is made entirely in Oregon, without any additional parts sourced outside the U.S.