In this direct comparison, Yang's image (bottom) clearly provides similar resolution as the optical microscope image (top). Pictured is C. elegans, a common worm often used in genetic studies. The quality of the output combined with the system's low cost has drawn raves from other researchers.
Yang's tiny, cheap microscope could have nearly immediate applications. In the very short-term, Yang envisions a system for identifying diseases in the Third World that could cost a mere $100 and come embedded inside a cellphone or custom device for field work.
"Because we can build [the microscope] very compactly, we can imagine building an entire system that is the size of an iPod," he said.
All of these applications could come into being very soon. Yang's lab is currently negotiating with semiconductor companies to mass produce his devices. Right now, it takes two days for one of his grad students to assemble one.
Once they enter manufacturing, however, they'll be able to make hundreds of the devices, and that's when high-throughput optical microscopy could become a reality. Working with image processing software designers, they're hoping to come up with autonomous systems for finding ad imaging cells.
"We're working on using software to automatically identify cells of interest," said Yang. "All you'd have to do is drop blood in."
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