Detection of Micron-Sized Chemical Droplets Using a Commodity Digital Camera Setup

The availability, portability, and low cost of electronic devices have made them a prime candidate for the rapid detection of chemical particles. Here we designed a chemical particle detection system based on a Raspberry Pi camera to detect micron droplets generated by ultrasonic atomizers. Through the analysis of sample photos and droplet size, we found that the detection system could clearly image micron-sized particles and accurately measure the particle size. The devices used in this system were all low-cost widely accessible digital cameras, so this detection technique could meet the requirements of low-cost and rapid detection technology, and widely deployed as a practical readout method in chemistry experiments.