Researchers have unveiled the world's first fully 3D-printed microscope, built in under three hours for less than £50. This affordable device, using a common 3D printer, promises to transform access for students and scientists worldwide. Initial excitement from a preprint has led to global collaborations and educational integrations.
In early 2025, a preprint paper sparked widespread enthusiasm among scientists for a groundbreaking invention: the world's first fully 3D-printed microscope. Developed by a team including Liam Rooney at the University of Glasgow and Gail McConnell at the University of Strathclyde in the UK, the device assembles quickly and cheaply, contrasting sharply with conventional microscopes that often cost thousands of pounds.
The microscope's body draws from the open-source OpenFlexure design, incorporating a store-bought camera, light source, and Raspberry Pi for controls. Its key innovation lies in a 3D-printed lens made from clear plastic, enabling low-cost production. "We must have printed about a thousand more lenses of different shapes since January," McConnell noted, highlighting the rapid iteration.
Following New Scientist's coverage, interest poured in from biomedical researchers, community groups, and filmmakers globally. "Community reception was incredible," Rooney said. The project, now published in the Journal of Microscopy, has attracted commercial inquiries for its lightweight lenses, uncommon in manufacturing.
Testing on a blood sample and mouse kidney section confirmed its utility in medical and biological research. To broaden access, the team partners with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana for West African applications and has secured grants from the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy. They also support programs empowering students facing educational barriers.
The microscope now features in the Strathclyde Optical Microscopy Course, a unique UK offering. "This is really changing how we teach," Rooney added. Ongoing improvements include boosting contrast by up to 67 percent without added expense. McConnell emphasized that advancements hinge on 3D-printing progress: "As these printers get better, we will get better too: this is the bottleneck. The bottleneck is not imagination." Constant emails request new designs, signaling vast potential.
