Researchers have now used the technology to build a fully functioning optical microscope for just $60.

With all the components, the microscope weighs around 3 kg, or 6.6 lbs.

The team tested the 3D-printed microscope with a blood smear and a tissue sample from a mouse kidney.

This $60 3D-printed Raspberry Pi microscope captures sub-cellular details with amazing clarity

It clearly depicted critical sub-cellular anatomical details, such as renal tubules.