By A Filipino engineer was recognized with the James Dyson Award for inventing an accessible keychain-sized device used to turn smartphones or tablets into a microscope.
The Make-roscope made by 28-year-old Jeremy De Leon, a Manufacturing Engineering graduate of Mapua University, opens the microscopic world to any scholar, professional, or student.
Simply placing the Make-roscope in front of a smartphone or tablet will magnify organisms up to 400 times.
De Leon’s Make-roscope is put together with a kit that includes an information card, tweezers, keychain, cleaning cloth, blank glass slides, prepared specimen, pipette, specimen tubes, and cotton swabs.
The project won the biggest prize in the Philippine leg of the James Dyson Award out of 47 entries from 12 universities.
The Make-roscope entry will now progress to the international stage of the competition where winners – chosen by Sir James Dyson – will be awarded up to ₱2 million, while the runners-up will receive ₱330,000 each.
The top 20 inventions will be announced on Oct. 18 and the big winners on Nov. 15.