Free Microscopy .org is a nonprofit foundation with the mission to promote free development of electron microscopy.
The core vision promoted is that every researcher must be free to study, modify and ultimately make her/his electron microscope. The scope extends equally over hardware and software, covering components and interfaces, as well as documentation and help. Particular attention is paid to educating the next generation of developers, both in academia and industry.
Key tasks
- Maintain the definition of free microscopy
- Promote standards of interfaces and components
- Publish directory of parts available for development
- Develop documentation and teaching material
- Organise workshops and development sprints
Why free?
- To enable every researcher to study, modify and ultimately make new microscopes – academic freedom.
- To increase diversity of suppliers, equipment and techniques – competition.
- To educate the next generation of microscopists and instrument developers.
Why electron microscopy?
- Because electron optics cannot be studied in the same way as light optics – there are no hard lenses.
- Because progress in equipment and method development requires detailed technical information and a good understanding of existing tools.
- Because building new equipment requires access and
information on the necessary components and interfaces - Because innovative software applications rely on
well-defined programming interfaces.
Why .org?
- To form an organization that is focused on the benefit for the entire ecosystem, and is neutral regarding any individual vendor or user.
- To bring free and immediate information access to any developer – worldwide.
- To provide a common voice to the many independent developers.
- Broad cooperation is easier on a common platform beyond individual bilateral agreements between partners.
Free Microscopy .org 