Technical Development

Our main product empowers users to control the WaterScope from a webpage they access on a device they already own - such as a computer or smartphone - with zero extra infrastructure and minimal configuration:

• The user connects to the WiFi access point broadcast by the WaterScope Raspberry Pi.
• They then open http://pi/ in their browser, which brings up the WaterScope interface.
• On this webpage, they have access to a high-quality (1280x720), low-latency (0.3s) live feed from the microscope camera, and can capture and download images at the maximum resolution (2544x1944). Camera parameters e.g. saturation, brightness, contrast, sharpness are adjustable.
• They also have controls to move the three microscope motors, allowing them to change the focus and move around the sample they are inspecting.

We also demonstrate proofs of concept for:

• Controlling the WaterScope’s motors using
  • the widespread Arduino + CNC shield boards, compared to
  • the ‘Fergboard’ motor controller, developed in-house at CUED,
• Reading sensor data from and sending commands to the Arduino from the WaterScope interface webpage, which we implemented as reading a microswitch’s status and toggling a LED,

which will provide an example for WaterScope’s development in those areas.

Finally, we share our experience and insights through explaining the trade-offs of the different solutions we considered and implemented.

You can view what's behind the scene in software development and hardware development.