Foldscope Basic Plus Kit

• Unlike bulky lab microscopes, the Foldscope is an innovative origami-style microscope made from durable, waterproof paper and precision optics. Its unique design combines portability and performance, making it easy for anyone to carry and use science tools anywhere—from classrooms to outdoor exploration.

• Kit Contains Lens Stage, Sample Stage, Panning Guide, Focus Ramp, Standard Slide, Microwell Slide (Part of Paper Template), 3x Couplers, Lens (In small bubble bag) ID Sticker, Ring Stickers, Cover Stickers (In small Ziplock bag), Cotton Swab, Instruction Manual, Foldscope Field Guide with Prepared Glass Slide.
  
  
• Resolution describes how sharply you can see details through a microscope. It is the smallest size of a feature that can still be distinguished. A Foldscope offers a resolution of 2 microns—roughly equal to the length of a single E. coli bacterium. (For reference, one micron equals 0.0001 cm.)
  
  
• As with traditional microscopes, it’s best to place the sample on a slide. Slides give the specimen a stable platform, holding it flat for clearer viewing. While conventional slides are typically made of glass, Foldscope can also function with paper slides.

• The depth of field refers to how thick a sample can be while still appearing in focus at the chosen focal length. Think of it as a “focus window” moving back and forth within the specimen. Foldscope’s depth of field is 13.6 microns (0.0136 mm).

• Note: Following items/accessories are not part of the Foldscope Basic Kit. The same is available with Foldscope Deluxe Individual Kit. It can be ordered separately. LED magnifier, Scissors, Tweezers, Well plate, Petri dish, Eppendorf tubes, Pipettes, Strainers, Clear tape roll, Microscope slide set, Reusable slide and coverslips, circle dot stickers, Diffuser stickers, Ziplock sample bags, filter sheets, notebook, and pencil.

• Another key concept is the field of view—the circular area you see when looking through the lens. Just like peeking through a small circle made with your fingers, you only see a limited portion of the specimen at once. To explore more, you must pan the slide, shifting different areas under the lens for examination.

Key Features

Foldscope is a microscope with the following metrics:

• Magnification: 140X

• Resolution: ~2 micron

• Back focal length: ~0.5 mm

• Depth of field: ~0.01 mm

• Field of view: ~0.5 mm (diagonal radius)

Foldscope is composed of paper components, magnetic components, and a lens.

• • The paper components are composed of a synthetic material, which functions to be waterproof, tear-resistant, and inexpensive.

  • The magnetic components function to help align/properly space the optic components, and to easily attach devices for phone viewing and projection.

  • The lens is a borosilicate glass ball embedded in a circular black plastic piece.3

    
    

    Tips:

    • Foldscope’s lens has a magnification of 140x, and that magnification is multiplied by the zoom on your phone. This means that if your phone camera has more than 7x zoom, you can view samples at over 1000x magnification!

    • If you have an LED light module, you can attach it as a light source on the back of your Foldscope. With the LED attached, you can lay your Foldscope on a flat surface for easier viewing and recording.