Computers on The Cheap

It’s a Technical Tuesday! Today we are going down the rapids of computer purchasing. This is a primer on purchasing computers on the cheap. We start with prebuilt computers (1), then cover acquiring peripherals (2,3), and finally talk about building your own computers (4,5). This is a living document about a volatile topic, so write […]

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Nyx Tracker for widefield Astrophotography

LabOnTheCheap posts tend to be microscopy heavy, but what about microscopy’s extroverted cousin, telescope photometry? One issue while taking long exposures of celestial objects is tracking their diurnal motion in the sky as the earth rotates. Robust tracking mechanisms start at around ~$300 and quickly go up in price for more accuracy and heavier telescopes. […]

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OpenDrop

OpenDrop, now in its third version, is an open source digital microfludics platform based off electrowetting technologies, that can confine and move droplets of liquid. The device is made by GaudiLabs, the source of Generic Lab Equipment. The platforms best first impression is probably this software demonstration video: OpenDrop is open source, which means a github […]

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DIY Cerna Components from Thorlabs

Do you love the idea of DIY microscopy but nervous about biting off more than you can chew? Thorlabs’ Cerna support for DIY microscopy is a great resource for easing you into it–think of it as training wheels for optical set ups. The Thorlabs Cerna microscope is a modular modular microscopy platform, but it’s surrounded […]

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