Studying the complex motility patterns of cells and microorganisms is key to understanding their behaviors and biomechanics. However, many conventional microscopes are constrained by fixed lenses and the lack of ability to track organisms over extended periods without manual intervention.

But researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have overcome these limitations through the development of an inexpensive, easy-to-assemble, modular, autonomous tracking microscope. 

Costing $400 in parts with DIY assembly instructions available, Trackoscope is a frugal-science innovation accessible to a wide range of users, from high school laboratories to resource-constrained research environments.

Developed in the laboratory of Saad Bhamla, associate professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), the Trackoscope is described in a new paper published in the journal PLOS One.

Read the Full Story on the ChBE Website