Aplicação de LEDs na microscopia óptica ao diagnóstico da malária

Abstract

This work presents a study on the application of LED (Light Emitting Diode) to optical microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria, in order to analyze the light emitted by the LED and compare with the light produced by a halogen lamp. Throughout the work, a comparative investigation between the light sources present in optical microscopy is presented. Two lighting sources, Halogen lamp and cool white LEDs, are used. The variables that are investigated are color rendering index (CRI), brightness and sharpness. Furthermore, a discussion analyzing the obtained data considering the human eye sensitivity curve is performed. The obtained results provide the background for the implementation of a RGBW LED lamp to the microscope. The use of LEDs, compared to the halogen lamp, resulted in energy consumption decrease, temperature reduction in the biological sample, and better ergonomic conditions for the microscopists. The RGBW LED lamp yielded a colour variation, improving the contrast and details of the analyzed samples, decreasing the analysis time.