Contact microscope using point source illumination

A contact microscope, comprising:

• two point light sources positioned above a specimen, each point light source of said two point light sources create a shadow when projected on said specimen;
• a mobile point light source;
• a glass specimen holder that holds said specimen in contact with a top surface of said glass specimen holder;
• a digital imaging device positioned beneath said top surface of said glass specimen holder and within said glass specimen holder, said digital imaging device receiving an optical image of said specimen that does not pass through an optical lens, said optical image of said specimen comprises a pair of substantially similar shadows separated by a distance proportional to a height of said specimen above said digital imaging device and created by each of said two point light sources, and said mobile point light source being movable relative to said digital imaging device;
• a processor operatively connected to said digital imaging device, wherein said processor is configured to produce a digital image of said specimen positioned on said specimen holder;
• and
• a display operatively connected to said processor, wherein said display is configured to display said digital image,
• said glass specimen holder intersects a unidirectional path of light from each point light source of said two point light sources to said digital imaging device.

A contact microscope, comprising:

• two point light sources positioned above a specimen, wherein each of said two point light sources comprises a monochromatic LED connected to a fiber optic cable, and each point light source of said two point light sources create a shadow when projected on said specimen;
• a glass specimen holder that holds said specimen in contact with a top surface of said glass specimen holder;
• a digital imaging device positioned beneath said top surface of said glass specimen holder and within said glass specimen holder, said digital imaging device receiving an optical image of said specimen that does not pass through an optical lens, said optical image of said specimen comprises a pair of substantially similar shadows separated by a distance proportional to a height of said specimen above said digital imaging device and created by each of said two point light sources;
• a processor operatively connected to said digital imaging device, wherein said processor is configured to produce a digital image of said specimen positioned on said specimen holder;
• and
• a display operatively connected to said processor, wherein said display is configured to display said digital image,
• said glass specimen holder intersects a unidirectional path of light from each point light source of said two point light sources to said digital imaging device.