Introduction to ioLight portable microscopes
ioLight is a UK startup based in Southampton. We have been selling portable microscopes to environmental scientists since 2016. Our microscopes have been to The Arctic, Antarctica, The Amazon and Mount Everest.
Microscopy is the fundamental tool for biology, veterinary science, climate change and many other disciplines. In the past, researchers have had to take samples back to their labs for observation. This is a slow process, and you can't review your sampling strategy. It is difficult to get good images of fresh samples before they deteriorate in transit, and impossible to return samples to where they belong.
Our fastest-growing application is the identification of Harmful Algal Blooms ( HABs). These potentially toxic blooms look very similar to beneficial algae. Only a microscope will tell the difference, but it usually takes five days or more to get a lab result. ioLight microscopes use AI image recognition to identify dangerous cyanobacteria on the beach in a couple of minutes. This protects public health and the businesses that rely on safe water. ioLight microscopes are so simple that diagnosis can be made by citizen scientists with just 30 minutes of training, delivering 94% accuracy.
You can learn more about our work at iolight.co.uk or contact me through WildHub.
%20(1).jpg "Dr Alia Khan and her ioLight microscope on Deception Island, Antarctica")
I am the CEO of based UK startup ioLight. We make the only pocket microscope that can capture and share images of cells from the screen of your mobile phone.
I joined WildHub because conservationists globally find that a microscope that can travel anywhere that they can is now an essential part of their gear. The microscope allows you to make instant decisions in the field. It has been used in The Arctic, The Amazon, The Antarctic, and Mount Everest. Most of our microscopes are exported, with 50% sold in the USA.
We hope to connect with field ecologists, particularly those interested in citizen science. We can help you collect large volumes of rich data quickly and inexpensively.
We are looking forward to learning how you want to view microscopic subjects and to help make your field work faster and simpler.
I look forward to meeting you.
