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Maintenance and Repair🔗

Instructions for maintaining and repairing the PlanktoScope.

Cleaning the optics🔗

  • Begin by turning off the microscope and unplugging it from any power source. Gently remove any dust or debris using a soft, dry cloth.
  • To clean the lenses and other optics, use a lens cleaning solution and a lens cleaning tissue or cloth. Gently wipe the optics in a circular motion, starting from the center and working outward. Avoid applying too much pressure or using a rough cloth, as this can scratch or damage the optics.
  • Once you have finished cleaning the optics, use a dry cloth to remove any excess moisture or cleaning solution.

Software updates🔗

The PlanktoScope project aims to keep improving the PlanktoScope software by fixing problems and making the software simpler and easier to use, releasing a new version of the software a few times each year. At the same time, we aim to keep the software compatible with all previous officially-released versions of the PlanktoScope hardware. For this reason, we strongly recommend everyone to keep their PlanktoScopes updated to run the latest stable release of the PlanktoScope software, and the PlanktoScope documentation will only support the latest stable release. You can always find the latest stable release at https://github.com/PlanktoScope/PlanktoScope/releases/latest, which will redirect you to a web page for the latest stable release.

Currently, you will need to re-flash the SD card of your PlanktoScope's embedded Raspberry Pi in order to update the PlanktoScope software to the latest version, and then you will need to reapply any custom software configurations you had set (e.g. hardware settings). We are also developing an easier and less disruptive way to update the PlanktoScope software, but it is not yet ready for use.