ioLight Granted US Patent on Innovative Portable Microscope

ioLight, creator of the world’s first high-resolution portable microscope, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent 10,254,523 B2 entitled ‘Digital Portable Microscope’ to the UK-based company. The focus of the patent is the microscope’s unique folding feature, making it compact and light enough for in-the-field use, whilst still delivering detailed images.

The US patent, which follows the ioLight microscope’s granted UK patent in May 2018, uses British engineering, with the design conceptualised and created by Oxford University-educated Chief Executive Officers Andrew Monk and Richard Williams.

“We are pleased to strengthen our intellectual property protection with the addition of this patent in the US,” explains Andrew Monk Co-founder, ioLight. “We have consistently sought to protect, expand, and improve uses of our self-contained portable, high-resolution microscope.

ioLight grows US footprint

“Having recently formed new partnerships with the highly regarded distributors, New York Microscope Company and Forestry Suppliers based in Jackson, MS. As well as continuing to work closely with aquaculture specialist, AquaSolver LLC based in Escondido, CA and Corpavet, Bogotá, Colombia, a veterinary expert covering Latin America, we have made great headway into the Americas.”

Andrew added: “The US patent further enables our US commercial strategy, and will allow us to concentrate on bringing this innovative technology to a number of industries. For example, it is perfect for in-the-field use, whether it’s a vet at a pen side or a botanist researching in a remote location. The ioLight microscope can be used instantly to capture outstanding high-resolution images onto a tablet or phone anywhere.”

The ability to record images and videos of subjects smaller than 10 microns on a mobile phone from a device that fits in a jacket pocket has already helped expeditions in The Amazon, Alaska and Antarctica for which it would not have been practical to use a conventional microscope.
“We are delighted that the patent has been granted and that we have the increased opportunity to reach US scientists, teachers, students and business owners to enable them to examine a wide variety of objects up close.”

Professional features in a pocket package

The ioLight portable microscope has a resolution of 1 micron with built-in illumination from both above and below the sample. A glass sample stage allows for samples up to 35mm thick, or samples mounted on standard microscope slides. Despite all these professional features, the microscope folds flat and fits in a jacket pocket or desk drawer. The rechargeable battery lasts all day in normal use. Images and videos are displayed on an iPad, iPhone or Android app making it a go-anywhere high-resolution microscope. The microscope also works with all laptops.

For more information on ioLight’s folding microscope, read the full patent here.