MAKE-roscope is a $20 children’s toy that turns a smartphone into a microscope, and its name is what attracted the attention of the Hackaday writer.
The microscope is contained in an Altoids-like tin box that includes accessories such as a lens cloth, a keychain, plastic pipettes, a strip of silicone with a glass ball lens, and a slide container with glass slides.
However, the box does not include cover slips, a way to prepare specimens, or clear instructions on how to use the microscope, which leaves much to be desired.
The silicone strip compresses and works with the smartphone’s selfie camera, placing the lens over the camera until a circular spotlight appears in the image, after which a slide is placed on the lens, compressing the silicone to focus the image.
Ultimately, the MAKE-roscope would not be particularly useful for practical electronics work, and a metallurgical scope or other alternatives would be better suited.
However, for the low price of $20, the product may be acceptable for entertaining a child’s interest in science.
