DIPLE - the REVOLUTIONARY microscope for any smartphone

Update 5 - May 2020
over 4 years ago – Fri, May 29, 2020 at 02:13:51 AM

Dear Backers,

Here is the fifth, monthly update about the progresses on DIPLE

On May 4th we re-opened the company, after the long lock-down.

The Covid-related hurdles were not over with the end of the lock-down: mechanical parts from foreign manufacturers that we needed to check and validate were stuck at the custom for 3 weeks as the priority was given to goods for the virus emergency. However, we got the box last week. But I want to make the story short and go directly to the point of highest interest: we plan to start the shipment of the first units before the end of July. About a couple of months of delay, as anticipated in previous updates. Those of you that work in manufacturing or in tech innovation can understand the amount of unexpected problems of the last few months. Extra problems, in addition to all the issues that can be found bringing a hardware product from prototype stage, to mass production.

The first units ready to ship will be likely those with DIPLE standard stages, that have a smaller number of components. From the end of August and September we plan to ship the other kits; we have actually some details to adjust, about mechanical tolerances; the fine-stage is made of 19 different pieces and we found some manufacturing issues in the pre-production batch on two of these parts. You can be sure that we will make our best to ship as soon as possible; any delay is a cost for us.

Said that, in the next few days we will send to all of you our survey via Backerkit. You will find there a showroom where you will be able to upgrade the ordered item with accessories or new parts. We need you to fill your shipping information there, too.

About the product, we are proud to have improved it significantly since the end of the Kickstarter campaign (thanks to your feedback and to our beta testers):

- The box is now made of ABS; the internal and the external part of the box are made of plastic. So, it is tougher and long-lasting.

- The box has stopping features to solve the issue of the stage that shifts off the light source, as reported in the review of Paul Struss of Technabob (https://technabob.com/blog/2019/12/15/diple-smartphone-microscope-review/).

- The second problem reported in the former review was solved too; the blocking elements that keep the tile in position can be now regulated, tightening or releasing a screw. We provide a little screwdriver in the box, for these little adjustments, too.

- The fine stage can be used also as a standard stage or used with non-standard glass slides. In the current, final design it is possible to remove two parts that keep a standard slide in position.

- We provide also a box with glass coverslips, for properly preparing your own experience.

Moreover, we are preparing the instruction booklet and we have almost finished a manual with examples of experiences to share with you.

Thanks for your support and Stay Safe!

The SMO Team

Follow us on Instagram @diplemicro, Facebook @diplemicro, Youtube: https://bit.ly/2TBfhct

Update 4 - April 2020
almost 5 years ago – Fri, Apr 24, 2020 at 11:46:51 PM

Dear Backers,

Here the fourth, monthly update about the progresses on DIPLE

One month ago I mentioned that we suspended part of the works, due to the Covid-19 related lock-out. Unfortunately, our Country (Italy), has been severely affected, and the lock-down is still active. According to the current available information, we’ll be allowed to re-open on May,4.

This will lead to a delay. We will do our best to keep this delay as short as possible. The last part of development of a hardware product and its rump-up production are not easy steps even in normal conditions. For providing you backers with more details, we mention here some problems that we have faced in these weeks (obviously unexpected during the Kickstarter campiagn): 1. stop of our internal manufacturing of optics, due to lock-down; 2. some of our Italian suppliers of custom-made parts are on lock-down too, or have addressed their efforts toward the manufacturing of parts urgently needed by hospitals; 3.  delays in the shipments of components (not all the couriers are working in Italy, and all of them have delays); 4. we canceled a travel in China for organizing part of the procurements (mentioned in the update of February; at that time it was only postponed), due to the travel limitations and quarantines; 5. we had to dedicate more time for managing urgent aspects directly, or indirectly, related to the health emergency, so limiting our time for the product development.

Nevertheless, there are good news 😊:

- We have ordered molds for injection molding for the mass production of many of the parts

- We have received and tested the pre-production batches of the metallic tiles of the objective lenses (from 2 different suppliers) and of the stages. We’ll order the mass production of these parts in the next few days.

- We have selected all the suppliers for the components of the systems (accessories included)

- We have decided to add a box with cover glasses for microscope (100pcs) within every DIPLE box. During the Kickstarter campaign we though to provide thin, transparent foils, in the place of coverslips; we have noted that their quality is not good enough for microscopy at the magnifying level of DIPLE. It is an important accessory in the use of the system, so we will add this component.

- We are preparing a manual with experiences for exploring the microscopic world using DIPLE and some examples of use. We plan to expand it in the future, also with feedback from DIPLE users who want to take part in it.

In conclusion, we can estimate a delay of about 8-10 weeks, that is approximately the duration of the Italian lock-down (March,8 – May,4), unexpected during the campaign. We plan to send you a survey for collecting your shipping information and for offering possible upgrades of your rewards before the end of May.

Thanks for your support and Stay Safe!

The SMO Team

UPDATE 3 - KEEP WORKING
almost 5 years ago – Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 10:41:37 PM

Dear Backers,

Here the third, monthly update about the progresses on DIPLE

It is a tough period because of the new coronavirus, as you know very well too. This fact has slowed down our plans, as well as it has slowed down large part of business worldwide. Our headquarters are in Italy, a Country strongly affected. Nevertheless, we keep working, within the restrictions by the Authorities, for the health of us all.

We have now suspended the production of the lenses, because part of our team is not at work now, due to the overmentioned reasons; we plan to restart the manufacturing of the optics within a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, we have got the first sample of plastic box made by injection molding, as anticipated in the update of January. Moreover, we have found a good manufacturer for a plastic, rigid external side, too; this point was still in doubt in our last update of February, but we confirm now that also the surrounding part of the box will be made of a rigid and long lasting material.

Here below a preliminary sample of the whole container. We are very happy about it; the weakness of the initial box, that for DIPLE is functional part of the system, was a point highlighted from many backers. So, we have followed your tips (thanks also to the good result of the crowdfunding 😊) and we’ll provide a solid box, without any doubt.

In the last period we’ve engineered the Fine Stage and the lighting system of DIPLE LUX. We’ve passed through many different designs. There are (apparently) little differences among the versions, but in a space-constrained system like DIPLE, little changes can make big differences. Some of these mechanical prototypes have been made by SLS printing. Here below we report some few elements (only a little part of the whole) designed and made in the last weeks by rapid manufacturing, for first, fast tests.

During the last few days, we have completed the designs for the next step of manufacturing of the Fine stage: in particular, for the CNC manufacturing of the metallic parts and for the mold of the plastic parts.

The development of DIPLE Lux is proceeding as well. Here below the electronic board and its (open) box, designed to offer a good level of lighting on opaque surfaces, independently on the environmental lighting. The light intensity can be changed using two buttons.

The first pre-production batch of the metallic tiles for the lens objectives has been already ordered to two different suppliers. These parts should arrive within this month.

We’ve received, checked and selected some of the commercial accessories, which are part of the system.

We are trying to manage the work at the best of our abilities, organizing the tasks in tight collaboration with our partners in China, that are greatly supporting us. Nevertheless, both China and Italy have been heavily impacted by the covid-19 virus, and our scheduling has been affected as well. We want to keep the delay as short as possible, as it is one of yours and of our highest interest. We’ll make all the efforts to start shipping with a delay of about one month, with respect to the initially estimate delivery dates.

Thanks for your support!

The DIPLE team

Follow us on Instagram @diplemicro, Facebook @diplemicro, Youtube: https://bit.ly/2TBfhct

Update 2 - Work in progress
about 5 years ago – Fri, Feb 21, 2020 at 04:58:40 PM

Dear Backers,

Here the second update about the progresses on DIPLE

The product development is following a normal route; the main issues are related to the engineering of the fine stage and of DIPLE Lux. We are working on these elements for turning the working prototypes into products for mass production. Mainly, this means that we are replacing some components custom designed, with readily available commercial parts. This work made now will ensure a faster pace during the mass production; moreover, we’ll have many more accessible suppliers, reducing the risk of bottlenecks.

We are evaluating in these days to add a rigid plastic cap (not only a rigid structure for the bottom part of the box, for which we have already ordered the mold fabrication, as anticipated in the previous update). We’ll make some tests before taking a final decision; however, this step is not crucial, and it takes short time.

We have experienced some delays from our Chinese partners/suppliers due to the stops related to the new Coronavirus. We have a good partnership, established many months ago, with a Chinese company for the assembling of the stages and for the components harvesting. A trip there, scheduled for the end of February, has been postponed; however, the tight relationship with our partners ensures a smooth proceeding of the job.

Many suppliers have already been selected.

We have started the manufacturing of the lenses that will be lodged in the metallic tiles last week (we make them in our headquarters).

The work keeps moving and, right now, we have not real reasons to delay the estimate dates for starting the shipments.

About applications of DIPLE, we are proud to announce that:

1. a prototype of DIPLE will be used in a project between the 'L. Sacco' Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences of the University of Milan and the Duke University (US), starting in Madagascar during next March.  2. A scientific paper has been accepted for publication on the journal Microscopy Research and Technique about tests on histological glasses (from doctors of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice).   3. A short video with DIPLE will be presented during the next European congress of Urology.

Moreover, we have been contacted by many medical doctors and veterinaries, giving us very useful tips for improving the product.

Thanks for your support!

The DIPLE team

DIPLE update - One month after the end of the campaign
about 5 years ago – Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 02:41:05 AM

Dear Backers,

It's been a very busy month since the end of the KS campaign! Everything is going as scheduled; moreover, we've decided to follow the suggestions from some of you; your feedback has been very important to make some changes in the product design.
Here are some of the latest updates:

The internal part of the drawer box will be made of plastic, by injection molding. In this tray we have added some features, following the advice from some of our beta-testers (for example from the recent review on Technabob of one prototype); there are mechanical stops for the stage and for the components.The mold will be ready by the end of Febraury.

We have re-designed the X-Y Fine stage, too. We found some little bugs in the previous prototypes and we fixed them. Moreover, during the campaign we got requests to use DIPLE with "non-standard" glass slides for many different applications; therefore, we have decided that now is the right moment to apply these changes, to offer a system with a real wide range of uses. 

More and more tests!

With our prototypes we keep on testing the performance of the system on different samples. We upload our shoots mainly on our Instagram page.

We have selected Backerkit as partner for the service of survey and add-ons management. You will be given the chance to supplement your pre-order with add-ons at a very special price for Kickstarter backers only. We'll send you the survey by email during next Spring. 

Stay tuned!

Thank you,

The DIPLE team