Speaker
Description
Malaria remains a major global health burden, with over 600,000 deaths and millions of infections annually. A key diagnostic feature of Plasmodium spp. is the presence of hemozoin, a birefringent crystalline by-product of hemoglobin digestion, which can be detected under cross-polarised light. Conventional polarised light microscopes capable of imaging hemozoin are often prohibitively expensive for use in low-resource settings. In this study, we present an open-source, low-cost microscopy system adapted for polarised light imaging to detect hemozoin crystals in blood smears. Building on the OpenFlexure 3D-printed microscope platform, the system integrates modular light sources and custom-designed polariser holders to establish cross-polarisation. Images are captured using a Raspberry Pi camera and processed with open-source software to enhance birefringence contrast and suppress background noise. Comparative evaluation demonstrates that the system produces image quality comparable to proprietary laboratory microscopes while maintaining affordability, portability, and ease of assembly. This approach has the potential to democratize malaria diagnostics by providing accessible tools for medical imaging in resource-limited regions. Beyond malaria, the platform may be extended to other biomedical applications where birefringence serves as a diagnostic marker.