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Branning JM, Faughnan KA, Tomson AA, Bell GJ, Isbell SM, DeGroot A, Jameson L, Kilroy K, Smith M, Smith R, Mottel L, Branning EG, Worrall Z, Anderson F, Panditaradyula A, Yang W, Abdelmalek J, Brake J, Cash KJ. Multifunction fluorescence open source in vivo/in vitro imaging system (openIVIS). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299875. [PMID: 38498588 PMCID: PMC10947658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The widespread availability and diversity of open-source microcontrollers paired with off-the-shelf electronics and 3D printed technology has led to the creation of a wide range of low-cost scientific instruments, including microscopes, spectrometers, sensors, data loggers, and other tools that can be used for research, education, and experimentation. These devices can be used to explore a wide range of scientific topics, from biology and chemistry to physics and engineering. In this study, we designed and built a multifunction fluorescent open source in vivo/in vitro imaging system (openIVIS) system that integrates a Raspberry Pi with commercial cameras and LEDs with 3D printed structures combined with an acrylic housing. Our openIVIS provides three excitation wavelengths of 460 nm, 520 nm, and 630 nm integrated with Python control software to enable fluorescent measurements across the full visible light spectrum. To demonstrate the potential applications of our system, we tested its performance against a diverse set of experiments including laboratory assays (measuring fluorescent dyes, using optical nanosensors, and DNA gel electrophoresis) to potentially fieldable applications (plant and mineral imaging). We also tested the potential use for a high school biology environment by imaging small animals and tracking their development over the course of ten days. Our system demonstrated its ability to measure a wide dynamic range fluorescent response from millimolar to picomolar concentrations in the same sample while measuring responses across visible wavelengths. These results demonstrate the power and flexibility of open-source hardware and software and how it can be integrated with customizable manufacturing to create low-cost scientific instruments with a wide range of applications. Our study provides a promising model for the development of low-cost instruments that can be used in both research and education.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. Branning
- Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
- The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kealy A. Faughnan
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Austin A. Tomson
- Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Grant J. Bell
- Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Sydney M. Isbell
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Allen DeGroot
- Electrical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Lydia Jameson
- Electrical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kramer Kilroy
- Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Michael Smith
- Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Robert Smith
- Electrical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Landon Mottel
- Arvada West High School, Arvada, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth G. Branning
- Colorado Early Colleges Castle Rock, Castle Rock, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Zoe Worrall
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Frances Anderson
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Ashrit Panditaradyula
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - William Yang
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Joseph Abdelmalek
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua Brake
- Department of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Kevin J. Cash
- Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
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