Brian's HTMAA Diary 2024

Final Project Progress

I'm interested in building a microscope for people to interact with these nanoprinted poems I had printed at the MIT nanolab.

I plan to base the process off of this open source project called OpenFlexure, which details a way to 3D print a microscope.

The state diagram for the final project:

Optics Module

I adapted the design of the optics module from the Openflexure microscope. The Openflexure microscope uses a modified Raspberry Pi Camera Module to create an 20x objective by altering the lens. I found that the OV2640 camera module included with the XIAO ESP32S3 Sense had the same kind of lens and sensor as the Raspberry Pi Camera Module, so I was able to alter the ESP32S3 camera module in a similar manner.

Control Mechanism Module

The Optics Module will be controlled by a user through a pantograph, which telegraphs their larger movements to smaller ones. I did some initial tests to experiment with the feeling of using a pantograph.

After the initial tests, I made some more prototypes to determine if the module should stay stable, or if I should allow x-axis movement by attaching it to aluminum extrusion.

PCB

I made two seperate PCBs, one to mount the XIAO ESP32S3 camera module and another to serve as a ring light to illuminate the samples on the microscope bed.

Microscope Sample

I envisioned people using my project to read these "micropoems" I've been making. During wildcard week, I got to use the Xtool in the CBA lab to laser micromachine some poems onto aluminum.

Integration

I 3D printed all the parts I designed in transparent PETG for a consistent aesthetic. I also adapted the linear motion carriage piece designed by our TA, Jake Read, from machine week to give my device so X-axis motion. I then made a base for everything out of HDPE with the waterjet. FInally, I designed and 3D printed a case for the optics module that could attach to the pantograph.

Final Presentation

Here is a video from final presentations of a person using my project to characterize the etched letters on my "micropoems"