Many infectious diseases prevalent in the developing world, including malaria and tuberculosis, are difficult to diagnose on the basis of symptoms alone but can be accurately detected using microscope examination. Currently the expense, size, and fragility of optical microscopes impede their widespread use in resource-limited settings. Addressing these obstacles facing microscopy in the developing world is a pressing need; over 800,000 people, primarily children in Africa, die annually of malaria, and more than 1,500,000 people die annually of tuberculosis [1][2]. The aim of this study is to design and validate a microscope for use in the developing world that combines high-resolution imaging, extreme affordability, and long-term durability.