Plankton, the tiny organisms found in the ocean, play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by capturing up to 50% of the world’s carbon dioxide. Their significance as the foundation of many food chains has made them a subject of interest in scientific research. To address the challenge of studying plankton in the vast ocean, a device called Planktoscope has been developed. Described as an affordable modular quantitative imaging platform for citizen oceanography, Planktoscope is a software-controlled microscope that can handle samples in motion.
The software of Planktoscope is written in Python and utilizes existing libraries for user interface and image processing. Its computing hardware is based on a Raspberry Pi. The device is equipped with two prototypes and has been tested using a 3280×2464 pixel image sensor coupled with 25mm and 16mm lenses. With a field of view measuring 2,300 microns wide by 1,730 microns high, Planktoscope pumps approximately 0.8 microliters of fluid, captures an image, and handles about 48 microliters per minute.
Plankton, despite their small size, have proven to be fascinating not only for their ecological role but also for their artistic and scientific value. They have served as inspiration for biological batteries and even as subjects for artistic expressions. The development of Planktoscope offers a promising tool for citizen oceanographers to further explore these microscopic organisms and contribute to understanding their importance in the ocean ecosystem.
