TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Portable Microscope (MSC-TOPS-131)

Scope

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology.

License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.

NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.

THE TECHNOLOGY: Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a handheld digital microscope to fill the critical microscopy needs of human space exploration by providing flight crews in situ hematological diagnostic and tracking ability to assess and monitor crew health in the absence of gravity.

Although currently in use aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to work in conjunction with NASA’s handheld slide staining system, the microscope may have numerous applications here on Earth.

The microscope is entirely self-contained, and includes optics, illumination, high-resolution imaging hardware, wireless enabled single board computer with scalable power and memory, and rechargeable battery.

The microscope also acts as an internet access point and connects via Bluetooth to smart devices for wireless image transfer and remote control.

The microscope is durable enough to support field use while providing submicron imaging that would typically necessitate the use of larger more expensive benchtop microscopes.

Cost of manufacturing the microscope may be relatively inexpensive through the utilization of 3D-printed components, and COTS hardware such as interchangeable microscope objectives.

The handheld digital microscope is at technology readiness level (TRL) 8 (actual system completed and "flight qualified" through test and demonstration), and is now available to license.

NASA does not manufacture products for commercial sa...