mSmartScope: 3D-printed smartphone microscope with motorized automated stage

Microscopic examination is currently the gold standard test for diagnosis of several neglected tropical diseases. However, reliable identification of parasitic infections requires in-depth train and access to proper equipment for subsequent microscopic analysis. These requirements are closely related with the increasing interest in the development of computer-aided diagnosis systems, and Mobile Health is starting to play an important role when it comes to health in Africa, allowing for distributed solutions that provide access to complex diagnosis even in rural areas. In this paper, we present a 3D-printed microscope that can easily be attached to a wide range of mobile devices models. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first proposed smartphone-based alternative to conventional microscopy that allows autonomous acquisition of a pre-defined number of images at 1000x magnification with suitable resolution, by using a motorized automated stage fully powered and controlled by a smartphone, without the need of manual focus of the smear slide. Reference smears slides with different parasites were used to test the device. The acquired images showed that was possible to visually detect those agents, which clearly illustrate the potential that this device can have, specially in developing countries with limited access to healthcare services.