WeScope: Digital microscope for Sub-Saharan Africa

The WeScope incorporates necessary functions to teach medical students basic microscopy and to improve their study experience. It is designed to be producible and repairable in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting the local economy and ensuring availability.

The WeScope comes with three objectives which can be easily switched by rotating the nosepiece. We motorized the vertical movement, so we had the possibility to combine both benefits of focusing manually and the option to use autofocus. A manual stage clip enables intuitive and exact sample navigation. The image can be shown on the integrated 7-inch screen or an external HDMI monitor which makes it more accessible for teamwork. To make the best out of their work, users can take pictures of the sample which will be automatically saved on an external USB flash drive. The WeScope is built around a structure of aluminium profiles to achieve a modular design, whilst reducing the impact of vibrations. Standard screws are used for the entire assembly, to enable easy maintenance and repairability. The control system of the WeScope consists of easily accessible electronic components which are integrated into the base.