INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF THE DEPARTMENT
Mobile whole slide imaging with an Indian twist
Our department created digital slides with the help of mobile phones. We have used the Nikon microscope and a mobile phone mount made of cardboard to acquire the images. The images were acquired in the panorama mode. Multiple, serial panoramas were taken in horizontal axis until the whole tissue was captured. The images were then transferred to a computer and the ICE program, then stitched the panoramic strips and generated a final complete picture of the slide.
With this very economical modality, we stored the rare and important slides in digital format.
This is first of its kind approach, which can make digitization and archiving of slides simple, free of cost, and feasible in resource-poor institutions of developing countries.
This innovation was Published in Pubmed indexed journal IJPM.
Virtual Microscopy via cost effective Raspberry Pi Camera System
Innovative Teaching-learning tool to demonstrate microscopic slides to Postgraduate and Undergraduate students.
The Raspberry Pi system is being used for the Trinocular head microscopes and the MHL system is used for binocular microscopes successfully in the Department of Pathology for various teaching activities.
The systems comprised of Raspberry Pi camera system and Mobile High Definition Link system (MHL). Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized, single-board computer of low cost which is an open-source initiative. Pairing it with the Raspberry Pi camera delivers a high definition image to the LED panels available in the histopathology and cytology sections.
QR Coding for museum specimens & specimens in Practical hall
All the gross specimens in our museum& practical hall (Gross specimens for undergraduate teaching)are QR-enabled. With the help of a free mobile app, students get the description of the specimen almost instantaneously and without the need for internet connectivity.
This QR system eliminated the time being wasted for searching the specimen number, finding the file, and reading the description. The students showed an increased interest during the practical sessions as they have already scanned the codes and read about the descriptions for the specimens kept for discussion. This also helped them to read the full description of the specimens anywhere anytime. The entire process was done free of cost as the software was free.
Google classrooms for the easy access of study material to students
