Climate change impact on alpine species in Nepal

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Life is on the rise in the Khumbu Valley

National Geographic monitors the impact of climate change in Nepal

Climate Change is driving life in the Himalayas to move up the mountains as the lower altitudes warm. The latest National Geographic video documents Tracie Seimon leading a team of biologists carrying out a biodiversity study to monitor this movement. Far from her laboratory at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo in New York, Tracie and the team of local scientists use the ioLight microscope to monitor protozoa at high altitude. The ioLight microscope weighs just one pound and records high-resolution images and videos on a standard mobile phone. The microscope is extremely rugged and weighs just one pound, so it easily fits into a rucksack pocket.

Climate change ioLight
Biology students use the ioLight microscope in the Amazon

University biology departments use ioLight in post COVID-19 teaching

Closer to home university biology departments are working out how to research and teach climate change in the wake of COVID-19. The ioLight microscope allows students to work in any environment in small physically distanced groups. Working away from the laboratory minimises the risk of spreading the virus and gives students a real first-hand experience of the environment.

ioLight launches portable XY microscope

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UK portable microscope manufacturer, ioLight limited is delighted to launch a new microscope with an XY stage .

XY stages allow the user to position the sample accurately under the microscope lens and to scan slides to count cells or parasite eggs. Today ioLight is pleased to annonce the launch of its 1 micron resolution XY microscope that still fits in your pocket. ioLight founder Andrew Monk says “our customers have always wanted an XY stage, but laboratory microscope stages are large clunky devices that would not survive on Mount Everest or in Antarctica where our microscopes are used. The new stage is very simple and robust, but still gives the precision that our users need.” A standard microscope slide or counting chamber is held securely in a frame that slides back and forth in grooves in the stage. The slide itself slides left and right in the frame. Monk continues: “It took a while to come up with a design that was smooth and simple enough to use in tough environments and still pocket-sized. We have now filed a patent application for the idea.”

vets make XY microscope count

The first customers will be veterinary surgeons. The picture shows Beth Robinson of New Forest Equine Vets testing the new microscope. Robinson says: “We love the new ioLight microscope since it makes performing worm egg counts very simple. Offering routine in-house WEC may not make a large profit, but it provides opportunities for us to interact with our clients several times a year and offers them an enhanced, bespoke service – this is a key reason for New Forest Equine Vets rapid growth”

The new microscope is available from the ioLight web site in two versions: 1mm high resolution or 2mm wide field, which is ideal for counting using a standard slide, cytometer or McMaster chamber. Contact sales@iolight.co.uk for further details.

National Geographic® uses ioLight on Mount Everest

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Monitoring climate change on the world’s highest mountain takes a special kind of microscope

In 2019 National Geographic® filmed an ambitious expedition to 5,000m on Mount Everest . The expedition collected data measuring the impact of climate change on this vulnerable ecosystem. It is difficult to get precision scientific equipment up there, so very little research is done at these extreme altitudes. However, Biologist Tracie Seimon identified protozoa living under the ice using an ioLight portable microscope and her mobile phone. The microscope is small and light enough to fit in a rucksack pocket and robust enough to survive extreme conditions on the mountain. In spite of its compact size the microscope still has the resolution needed to see these microscopic animals clearly. As you would expect the film is beautifully made and explains some of the tricky challenges of science on top of the world.

ioLight meets Dutch and British Royal Families

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It was an enormous privilege to meet members of the British and Dutch Royal Families the ioLight microscope with Their Majesties the King and Queen of The Netherlands and Their Highnesses the Earl and Countess of Wessex at the Netherlands UK Innovation showcase yesterday as part of the Dutch State Visit to the UK. The conversation was really interesting and the royal party showed a strong understanding of how a laboratory grade pocket microscope could change the world. Prince Edward observed that our price was about the same as a pair of binoculars.

Huge thanks to the Royal Family for posting this wonderful video so quickly.

Other field microscopes just became obsolete

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Fish expert, Bill Manci, Fisheries Technology Associates, Inc.

Fish expert Bill Manci tests ioLight microscope

Fish expert Bill Manci reviews the ioLight portable microscope

A new product has entered the aquaculture marketplace that, potentially, could revolutionize fish disease diagnostics and live feed identification in the field or tank-side.

As a longtime aquaculture consultant, I am very familiar with conventional approaches to collection and visual analysis of potentially diseased tissues, and viewing of microscopic live food organisms. In the past, samples were collected for later preparation and viewing in a laboratory. Opportunities to view samples at a microscopic level in the field simply did not exist. Clumsy and heavy microscopes are simply too large to be practical in the field, they require power to light the viewing stage, and are easily damaged.

A British company called ioLight has developed a new set of devices that make microscopic viewing in the field possible, and indeed very easy.

ioLight offers two field-capable microscopes that are compact and easy to carry into the field. Here’s the best part. These battery-powered units generate their own Wi-Fi signals that easily connect to your iOS (i.e., iPhone or iPad) or Android device for easy viewing of the magnified image.

There are two versions of the ioLight microscope—the so-called 1-mm and 2-mm units, which refer to the width of the field of view. The 1-mm unit offers resolution down to 1 µm, and the 2-mm version is used for larger target samples. In my case, I used the 2-mm unit, which provided excellent views of microscopic zooplankton such as daphnids and rotifers, as well as individual gill filaments and parasites that potentially inhabit those tissues.

The first thing that struck me when I held the unit was its look and feel. This is a substantial, high-quality instrument made with durable materials that will stand the test of time.

Folded for storage and in its cushiony waterproof neoprene case, the unit fit nicely in my hand (6.25” X 4” X 1.25”), and weighed less than 1 pound. The optics pivot and unfold from the base, and slide up or down by hand to produce a rough focus of the target image.

I then used the ioLight app that I downloaded to my iPhone to view the subject and achieve perfect fine focus. From the app, you can choose to light the subject from above, or below, or both. You also can activate a grid from the app to accurately measure the size of objects in your sample. I then easily snapped photos and videos and stored the images on my phone.

After the photos were captured on my phone, I was able to zoom in and out as with any other photo, and see additional details without pixelation. I was quite impressed with the photo quality, despite the small size of the optics—undoubtedly, a real breakthrough.

While I can envision a multitude of uses for these devices in a number of professions, anyone serious about aquaculture will want these new tools in their diagnostic and management inventory.

Without a doubt, the portability and ruggedness of these units and the high quality of the images are the innovations that truly wowed me. For me, this was one of those moments when you say to yourself, “How did I ever get along without this device?”

Interested in trying or buying one? As compared to much larger and “clunkier” conventional technologies, ioLight microscopes are a real bargain. The 2-mm general-purpose unit has a price tag of just $1,100, and the 1-mm cell-resolution unit costs $1,200, which includes the microscope and all shipping and taxes. Customers in the US must contact the distributor, AquaSolver, in southern California (760-518-8170). If you are not satisfied, you can return the unit for a refund within 30 days.

This is an every-day device for your every-day needs.

About Bill Manci

Bill Manci is the President of Fisheries Technology Associates where he specializes, since 1982, in fisheries management, characterization and evaluation of wild fisheries, and technical and economic feasibility analysis of fish farming and aquaculture facilities. Mr. Manci also specializes in fisheries industry and commercial fishing intelligence and statistics; wild fisheries and aquaculture investment due diligence; finfish and shellfish production technology, equipment, fish feeds, fish vaccines, and systems; development of integrated aquaponics systems; and aquaculture facility and production system design, management, and assessment. He manages a team of 28 technical professionals within the fisheries and aquaculture field. Mr. Manci has more than 42 years of experience, has published more than 300 articles, and writes an editorial column for Fish Farming News and contributes to other international publications. He also participated for six years in aquaculture and fisheries research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1991, Mr Manci has been recognized as a Certified Fisheries Professional by the American Fisheries Society.

Fisheries Technology Associates, Inc., is a Fort Collins, Colorado (USA)-based aquaculture, aquaponics, and fisheries consulting firm. They may be reached at +1 970-225-0150 or manci@ftai.com.

ioLight joins the Royal Veterinary College in CSI investigation

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Royal Veterinary College calls ioLight for back up in CSI probe

ioLight has pleasure in inviting you to the Royal Institution, London, on Wednesday 11th October to see the Royal Veterinary College’s evening of Animal CSI: What, how, when?

pocket microscope

ioLight pocket microscope

The world renowned Royal Veterinary College will be using the ioLight microscope to help present the fascinating story of veterinary pathology.

Dive into the world of veterinary pathology for an evening of mystery and intrigue, including a live-streamed dissection from the Royal Veterinary College’s laboratory and hands-on experiments and activities. Please note that due to the graphic nature of dissection, this event is suggested for ages 16+.

ioLight’s Co-Founder Richard Williams will be there to demonstrate the microscope. We would like to thank The Royal Institution and the Royal Veterinary College for the opportunity to present our microscope at this wonderful event.

The ioLight portable microscope has a similar resolution to lab microscopes, but it folds to fit in a jacket pocket or vet’s bag. Beautiful 1 micron resolution images and HD videos appear on your tablet or phone for simple sharing to the evidence dossier. At last vets and CSI forensic agents can carry out their work in the field rather than waste time and risk contaminating evidence by taking it back to the lab. The microscope is also perfect for teaching and outreach because everybody sees the same image on the screen, which gets discussions going. The ioLight microscope is now compatible with iOS and Android devices, so it is ready to get to the truth anywhere.

Friends of ioLight can find full details and get a 30% discount on ticket prices using the discount code ROYALVETCOLLEGE at Eventbrite. We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday evening.

 

Bayer takes delivery of 10 ioLight microscopes

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Bayer uses ioLight microscopes

Bayer takes delivery of ioLight microscopes

ioLight is delighted to announce that Bayer plc has purchased 10 microscopes for its Practice Support Advisors.

These veterinary nurses carry the compact ioLight compact microscopes in their bags. They are always ready to show customers how much damage parasites can do to pets and farm animals unless they are properly treated with Advocate®, Baycox® and other company products. Armed with the ioLight microscopes the team can show vets parasites such as Angiostrongylus vasorum and Eimeria bovis, which can make precious pets or valuable livestock seriously ill.

Christopher Chick, National Sales, Key Account Manager says: “Using the ioLight microscope gives our customers a clear and immediate insight into how much damage these parasites can cause and how Bayer’s Animal Health products can prevent and treat these conditions.”

Andrew Monk, Founder of ioLight, met the team at Bayer’s Berkshire headquarters for a morning’s training. The Practice Support Advisors learned how to capture brilliantly clear images and videos on their tablets and smart phones and share them with colleagues. They even took pictures of their own cells showing off the laboratory grade resolution of the compact ioLight instrument.

ioLight invites all of our friends, customers and supporters to join the company by investing in our currently crowd funding campaign at www.crowdcube.com/iolight.

The investment round is open to anybody. Investing £7,500 wins a free microscope for a school of your choice, £3,000 gets A shares with voting rights and the average investment is about £1,000. £100 is a useful contribution and just £10 moves the ioLight pitch back to the top of Crowdcube’s Investment Opportunities Page, where it will get noticed. So nobody should invest more than they can afford.

Come and meet Andrew, Richard and the microscope in London on Thursday 23rd February. Details at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-microscope-makers-london-tickets-32188810599

Capital at Risk

#TheVideoShow reviews the ioLight video

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ioLight portable microscope video review

#TheVideoShow 64 ioLight pocket microscope video

Great video, tiny microscope

Every company needs a video! On a hot summer’s day in 2016 ioLight’s Andrew Monk went pond dipping in Whitchurch’s beautiful Millenium Meadow with Mark Harman of Red Book Productions. The result was ioLight’s Product Demonstration video, which shows Andrew using the ioLight pocket microscope in the field.

A couple of months later, and several degrees cooler,  Mark and Andrew met up again to discuss how they made the microscope video and how it has helped ioLight’s business.

You can watch their conversation in episode 64 of #TheVideoShow.

Lab resolution in your pocket

The ioLight video field microscope is the world’s first portable high resolution microscope. It delivers beautiful images and videos from the microscope directly onto a tablet or phone so that the whole team can see and share them. Image quality is similar to that of a laboratory microscope, but the ioLight microscope fits into your pocket, so you can take it anywhere.

The ioLight pocket microscope is already being used by Cambridge and Exeter universities, Bayer, The Eden Project and many other researchers and teachers that want to take science into the field or seminar room without compromising on quality.

In the video, ioLight’s Andrew Monk explains his personal passion for communicating science. The ioLight microscope is an invaluable tool for STEM education because it is so portable and simple to use but still delivers great quality images that are easy to paste into homework or Nobel Prize winning reports. Young scientists particularly love seeing images and videos from the microscope on the screen of a tablet, which is less complicated than a traditional laboratory microscope and less expensive too.

Watch #TheVideoShow to see how Mark and Andrew got on making the video and how easy it is to use compared with a laboratory microscope.

Eden Project endorses the world’s first portable high resolution microscope

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The Eden Project uses the ioLight microscope to investigate plant disease

eden-2-6-10-16ioLight is delighted to announce that the Eden Project is now a customer and using the ioLight pocket microscope in their study of plant disease and soil samples.

Launched in 2016, the ioLight microscope is the first professional quality pocket digital microscope. It fits in a jacket pocket, is simple to use and robust. It unfolds quickly to record and share 5MP still images and real time HD video at a magnification of x200 on an iPad Air.

Based in Cornwall, England, the Eden Project is an educational charity that is nestled in a huge crater which was formerly a china clay pit. It includes two massive Biomes – the larger one housing the largest rainforest in captivity, the other showcasing areas of the world that have a Mediterranean climate. Both the covered biomes and the outdoor area contain stunning plants and exhibitions.

The Eden Project trialled the ioLight microscope for a number of months, mainly looking at plant disease and soil samples but also for public demonstrations, before making their decision to purchase.
Chris Bisson, Policy Development Manager at the Eden Project, says “Here at the Eden Project we have used the ioLight Digital Microscope for a wide range of activities, from investigating plant diseases to
demonstrating the microscopic world of pond water to school children. It’s really easy to use and has been brilliant for enthusing both children and adults in the microscopic world around us.”

The resolution of the ioLight microscope is 1 micron, that’s 1/1,000 mm – powerful enough to see the structure of plant and animal cells. The product uses standard microscope slides and features adjustable top and bottom illumination for use on both biological and opaque samples. It is particularly good for live samples, which deteriorate on the journey back to the lab, and it works anywhere, even without a WiFi or mobile phone network. at what can one of the most stressful times for animal owners.

Rachel Warmington, Plant Pathologist at Eden, has been using the microscope in her study of Panama disease, a disease that has no chemical control and threatens to destroy the world’s supply of bananas.

The portability of the ioLight microscope has been particularly useful as it is imperative that no pathogens are allowed entry into the Biomes.
In addition, Rachel has been looking at the powdery mildew Erysiphe graminis synonym Blumeria graminis which has ascospores of 20-24 microns x 10-14 microns. “Having a personal microscope has proved extremely useful and is a great way to capture images.”

Last year, more than 47,000 school children visited Eden, and with an increase expected this year the microscope is a wonderful opportunity for children to experience science up close. It is perfect for field trips: students and teachers can carry portable microscopes in their bags and connect them to personal tablets or phones.

Just as the compact digital camera made photography available to anyone, the ioLight microscope is always available to look at pond water, plant cells and anything else that comes to hand.