BLIPS is an ultra portable and very affordable set of 2 mini lenses which turns your devices into digital microscopes in seconds!
Dieses Projekt wird am finanziert.
BLIPS is so slim that you can connect it to your device and keep it in your pocket without having to worry about losing it.
No unwieldy spring clips pressing on your touch screen
You can cut the film using scissors, shaping BLIPS as you prefer. The two sticky bands are meant to enhance adherence onto non-polished surfaces; the lens will always stick on the glass when the surface is clean.
(Do not touch the adhesive bands often. Grease and dust affect their adhesive strength.)
BLIPS has been developed within the neuroscience labs of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) exploiting the materials and the methods used for the manufacturing of micro devices for the investigation of neuronal networks. Although it was born in a research lab, it has been designed for mass production from the very beginning.
It allows you to take high definition macro pictures with optical magnification of about 10 times. It is extremely thin, about 1/50 inch (0.5mm), and very user friendly. It represents the first step from “standard” photography towards portable microscopy. Its working distance, i.e. the distance between the lens and the focal plane, is of about 1/2 inch (12mm).
Hence, it can be used like a high power magnification lens for precision works or for several other applications where an enhanced electronic eye is desired, from technical uses to sheer fun. For example, it can be used for quality control of soldering works, on cloth, seams, paints or other manufactured items. Needle and thread insertion, self-examination of moles, skin, or nails, children’s hair inspections for head lice/nits, insects or spiders observation, checking of parasites on leaves, etc.
It allows you to use your smartphone as a real microscope in seconds!
Blips Micro is able to detect details of about 1/7000 inch (≈1/300 mm), distinguishing single cells or other inhabitants of the micro-world. BLIPS Micro is less than 1/20 inch (≈1.2mm) high, and turns your phone into an actual digital microscope. You need to keep a distance of ¼ inch (6mm) between the lens and the sample under observation to discover tiny details at a high definition. With the use of the digital zoom it’s possible to achieve magnification of over 100x*.
*Note: the magnification factor depends on the model of smartphone or tablet used. To measure the magnification factor we suggest to take a picture of two tick marks on a ruler and measure the captured image on the screen. Other products claimed magnification factors often prove lower than claimed when tested by using this method.
A package made of two lenses: 1 BLIPS MACRO & 1 BLIPS MICRO plus 2 small sponges which facilitate to stabilize the focus. (Use one over the other when using Macro BLIPS).
Note: each smartphone model is different; slightly press the sponge to find the correct distance for your device.
BLIPS LAB KIT can be used for scientific studies or even just for fun! A useful tool for technical discoveries or educational purposes, provided at an affordable price.
To use Micro to explore the realm of microscopy we also offer a selection of pre-prepared microscope slides plus an easy to assemble mechanical accessory with a sufficient light source for optimum observation of flat and thin samples. In our standard pack you will find glass slides of insect parts, parasites and human tissues.
The pack contains:
• 2 BLIPS lenses (Micro & Macro)
• 1 light source
• 2 sponges
• 1 smartphone stage
• 6 prepared slides
Whether it is for precise manufacturing, or you just need to handle tweezers or other tools, you often need your hands free. Using our smart stand desk holder, you can position your smartphone and use it like a high magnification optical lens.
• needle and thread
• jewelry
• building tiny models
• precise reparations
MACRO: The best option to observe insects or objects in motion. Its deeper focus allows you to easily follow the subject you are examining.
MICRO: For higher magnification; maximal resolution (ability to see small details) can be achieved by using transmitted light through the subject you are observing (for example using prepared slides and a light source from behind)
1) Clean the glass of the camera with a piece of fabric or cloth to make sure dust and grease are properly removed
2) Lift BLIPS by one end
3) Keep the two ends of the film facing upwards, align the lens on the camera and press it onto the glass window; it will adhere electrostatically, do not be afraid to touch and press the lens with your finger
4) Stick the rest of the film onto the smartphone body
5) Open the App (available freely for Android and IOS).
6) Move your device close to the subject under observation; the distance is 12mm for BLIPS Macro and 6mm for Micro. Put the lens as closer as possible to the sample and slowly move backwards until the image is focused, or use the sponge to easily find the correct distance. If light conditions are weak, activate the flashlight mode on your mobile (by activating the flash command in app)
LAB KIT INSTRUCTIONS
NOTE: for smartphones that have the camera lens near the corner (for example iPhones), you can turn the extra film around the edge of the device or you can cut it away with scissors, as in the illustrated instructions.
1) In order to achieve the best performance possible, make sure your Blips lens is aligned well on the camera.
2) When sticking the lens onto the camera, try to reach the best optical contact between the two surfaces; make sure the surface between the film and the glass looks black and does not present any bubble.
3) In order to improve adherence:
• clean the glass from grease or dust
• press the lens against the camera with your finger
• warm the film up (best when > 20°C) and, whenever possible, the device, in order to improve the conformability of the film
• gently clean the rear side of the lens from grease or dirt by using water or soapy water
Keep BLIPS on the camera for as long as you need; you can stick the BLIPS lenses on your camera or nearby for a whole day or more. When you do not use BLIPS for long periods, place the lenses back on their original card. Keep them in your wallet, bag, or anywhere you want.
Avoid to press on the lenses for extended periods. The adherence
might be weak when applied below 15°C (50F).
THE APP PROVIDED IS IOS AND ANDROID COMPATIBLE
The app adjusts your device’s settings in order to use it with Blips.
USER FRIENDLY interface / LED TORCH command / AF Block / Easy sharing
If your device does not support Android or IOS you can easily use Blips with your favorite application, making sure the subject you are examining is exposed to enough light. If possible, lock the autofocus and visualize the captured images on full screen.
BLIPS PROTECTS YOUR PRIVACY!
While playing around with BLIPS, we casually found out that when lenses are attached to a Mac / PC Camera, it also provides a strong privacy barrier, offering 2 different degrees of blurring. No more prying eyes on your devices! A cool extra perk to make good use of BLIPS.
BLIPS (patent pending technology) is made of composite multilayered structures. All the materials constituting BLIPS come from European and US suppliers.
LENS:
Extremely thin --> Macro Lens ≈ 0.5mm, Micro Lens<1.2mm
Made of plastic resin of shore hardness D 80-90 --> not easily deformable
High refractive index material (n > 1.55) --> superior optical performance
Aspherical shape --> optimized optical design
Non-sticky top surface --> dust-free, extremely easy to clean
Inert plastic, certified to meet the US Class VI USP protocol for use in medical applications in cases of skin contact --> harmless when in contact with skin
High resolution --> Distinguishes details <4 microns (≈ 1/6500 inch) for Micro
SUPPORTING FILM:
REACH compliant --> Safe
Electrostatic adherence --> Adheres to clean, polished, smooth surfaces (like glass), re-usable without leaving adhesive residues
Flexible and conformable --> adapts to the shape of your device
Washable with soapy water --> Easy maintenance
BLIPS SmartMicroOptics Srl (SMO)’s first product and it’s the result of a technology transfer from the “Italian Institute of Technology”. Although it was born in a research lab, it has been designed for mass production from the very beginning. Even if extremely thin, BLIPS is a composite: part of it is made by using standard components and processes which were already largely available form a list of suppliers of SMO, while SMO is in charge of the rest of the fabrication process, setting the manufacturing facility for large production. The current manufacturing capability, in lab scale, is of 100 BLIPS per day, which will be scaled up during the next weeks, according to the success of the campaign. All the materials constituting BLIPS come from European and US suppliers. The accessories have been selected by testing a number of components available on the market, specifically designing new components and establishing relationships with reliable external manufacturers, aiming at the highest level of satisfaction of the backers.
BLIPS is a brand new product; in order to test and improve it in the last months we have distributed many samples (approximately 100-150) to different people in terms of age, culture and education levels, collecting comments and suggestions for a proper development of the product. The feedbacks were usually enthusiastic, even for the first prototypes. The founder of SmartMicroOptics is experienced in start-up creation and rump-up production; nevertheless, since BLIPS is the first product of a new company, some unexpected issues might arise when changing facilities and when passing from the lab scale to mass production. In order to face some of these problems, we have designed a modular production facility for fast and easy scalability.
Logistics and communication issues could arise, especially in case of a high number of backers. We have already established agreements with a company with previous experience in Kickstarter campaigns, in order to support our efforts throughout this adventure. We will do our best to stay on track and to reward our backers and fulfill their expectations. This would be the first step of a structured project, the first product out of a list we are planning for the near future, and we don’t want to fail this first milestone.
With BLIPS Macro the image is magnified from 8 to 15 times without the use of additional digital zoom, depending on the smartphone or tablet you use. With BLIPS Micro you can see on your screen an image magnified from 16 up to 30 times.
- With BLIPS applied on the camera of your device, take a picture of a ruler without any digital zoom
- Measure on your screen the distance between two tick marks
- Divide this distance by the real distance between the two tick marks on the ruler
Other products claiming very high magnification levels, without specifying how it is measured, result of significantly lower magnification applying this straightforward method.
The level of optical power (i.e. magnification) has been selected with attention in order to provide the best whole of optical performance and usability. Moreover, magnification is not an important parameter for digital optics (and microscopy); the most important parameters are resolution, i.e. the ability to distinguish tiny features, and field of view, i.e. the imaged area without scanning your device on the sample. With proper lighting BLIPS Micro can achieve a resolution <4microns, and its field of view is of about 5mm × 3mm. For BLIPS Macro they are about the double.
- Higher magnification needs very short deep of focus, significantly smaller field of view and very short working distance.
- Shorter deep of focus makes very difficult to get images in focus using hand-held devices
- Smaller field of view makes very difficult to find the sample you want to observe behind the smartphone.
- Very short working distance do not allow to film or shoot subject of the nature like insects, to look inside flowers, or to check inside small 3D structures.
The number of pixels of your camera sensor is usually not an issue. Indeed, the higher the magnification, the lower the number of pixels required to achieve the same resolution.
A rough numerical evaluation for BLIPS Macro is following:
Field of view: 10mm – image 16:9 @ 5.99MPixel (3264×1836)
Every pixel side corresponds to 10mm/3264 ≈ 3microns
The optical (i.e. non digital) resolution for Blips Macro is of about 8 Microns, therefore 6MPixel are more than enough. A higher digital resolution (higher number of MPixel) reduces the annoying pixilation effect, but it gives no advantages on the overall image resolution.
BLIPS is compatible with virtually every smart device on the market. Depending on the device architecture (e.g. upper front facing speakers), BLIPS can be placed horizontally or vertically and can be cut to adjust to many different sizes and shapes. BLIPS can also be used to blur images on your computer’s camera, TV, security camera in order to protect your privacy and can be used over and over again without leaving residues
BLIPS is designed to stick onto both polished and textured surface. We achieved excellent results with aluminum unibodies (e.g. Iphone 6) as well as more textured phones (e.g. Samsung Galaxy S6 or Oneplus 2). BLIPS works even better on glass and works just fine on plastic
