Bugscope is a second generation educational project in the World Wide Laboratory that provides web browser based control of scientific imaging instrumentation using the Internet. We had previously demonstrated web based remote access to sophisticated scientific imaging systems several years ago in the Chickscope project. The primary goal of the Bugscope project is to demonstrate that relatively low cost, sustainable access to an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) can be made available to K-12 classrooms.
Methods: To participate in the project, a classroom submits a web based application that describes how they plan to use the microscope. If the application is accepted, a one hour session on the ESEM is scheduled and the classroom mails in their chosen specimen. During their access time, classrooms use a standard web browser over the Internet to control and acquire images from the ESEM (Philips/FEI XL-30FEG).