The Scope-On-A-Rope (SOAR) is a hand-held video microscope that can display images on a computer, projector, or television screen.

It has interchangeable lenses that can magnify objects over two hundred times actual size. Each lens has an array of LED lights and comes with a contact tip that is at the focal plane of the lens, therefore, simply touching a sample with the lens tip produces an image that is well-lit and in focus; little to no specimen preparation is necessary.

The SOAR is easy to use, compact, and durable. With its interchangeable lenses and stands, the SOAR serves many functions—it can be used as a video camera, dissecting microscope, compound microscope, and document camera. Since the images are displayed on a screen, an entire class of students can see magnified images at once for expanded teaching opportunities.

Some examples of how teachers have used the SOAR in their classrooms include: observing plant and animal structures, viewing aquatic microorganisms and cells, analyzing soil, sand, and rocks, measuring objects on a small scale, inspiring students to create artworks and to write creatively, and exploring the anti-counterfeiting features in U.S. currency. 

 

 

 Identifying diatoms in an LSU geology course using 200x lens of SOAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viewing a crab on a sea urchin wiht 1x lens of SOAR mounted in stand

 

 

Students looking at a snake skin with 30x lens of SOAR