ioLight High Resolution Portable Microscope Works with Tablets and Smartphones

Portable Microscope Android iPhone

We’ve all read about those cheap USB microscopes that can be used to checkout PCB issues or read IC part numbers, but ioLight is a different beast. The device is a proper microscope offering up to 1 μm resolution that could be used by a biologist in the field coupled with an Android mobile device,  an iPhone, or iPad. ioLight portable microscope specifications: Magnification Field of view (FoV) –  1mm fixed width, giving ~ x200 on a 9.7″ screen. Larger screens give greater magnifications Digital zoom on captured image to x500 on 9.7″ screen Resolution – 1µm (0.001 mm) Working distance – 1mm from lens to sample Illumination – Adjustable top and bottom illumination Sample stage – Glass Image / Video format 5MP (2592 x 1944 pixels); JPEG; color MPEG-4; color; up to 1296 x 972; 10 fps Images and videos are stored in the tablet’s camera roll ready for […]

Using a Cheap USB Microscope To Read IC Part Numbers

It’s not always easy to read the part number on IC you find on boards, and some time ago, I watched a video where Lady Ada used a USB microscope to demonstrate how to solder some components, and probably using that 5.0 MP model sold on Adafruit for about $80. But I found a similar looking USB microscope with a 2.0MP sensor and 1000X magnification on Ebay for $16.59 shipped, so I bought it, received it today, and I’ve given it a try. Such microscopes can be used to inspect skin and hair, PCB, textile, bank notes, jewelery, and so on. There are apparently other models based on the one I purchased with useful features like auto-focus, wireless support, different levels of magnification, and different colors. Supported operating systems include Windows and Linux, Android, and Windows 8 according to the package. The microscope comes with a stand, a CDROM with […]

Ostec Wi-Fi Telescopes, Wi-Fi and USB Portable Microscopes for iOS, Android, and PCs

Ostec Electro-Optical Science and Technology, is a company headquartered in Shenzhen, China, with a factory based in Guangzhou, that manufactures optical devices such as telescopes, microphones, endoscopes, and scanners that connects to your computer, or tablet via USB or Wi-Fi. Charbax of armdevices.net interviewed the company in April at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, and uploaded the video (see bottom of post) very recently. Let’s have a closer at some of the products. KoPa WiFi Telescope (Model TW501) The first device is TW501 Wi-Fi telescope that comes with a tablet holder, and allows you to visualize the picture directly on your smartphone, tablet, or other Wi-Fi capable device either via specific Apps or via the web browser. It apparently not suited for astronomy, but can be used for bird watching, building surveillance, hiking, and any application where you may need to take close-up pictures or videos. Wi-Fi Telescope Specifications: Sensor […]

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