A Kickstarter campaign has been launched to provide Advanced 3D Imaging for free. Researchers, students, academic institutions and industries will be able to utilize the facility for non-invasive imaging of samples in 3D, 4D and 5D.
The campaign on Kickstarter, a crowd-funding platform, was started by Cornell University’s director of multi-scale 3D computed tomography imaging facility, Mark Riccio.
If we all pitched in the price of a cup of coffee, we could change the world of science, research and teaching with free access to advanced 3D imaging.
- Mark Riccio
3D X-Ray Imaging
The funds raised from the campaign will be used to acquire an advanced Carl Zeiss 3D X-ray imaging system, enhance other CT instruments, and set up a dedicated imaging lab.
The advanced submicron imaging system from ZEISS, the Xradia 520 Versa, will enable non-destructive imaging of the inside of samples such as fossils and museum artifacts - ideal for characterizing rare or valuable objects without damaging them.
Free for non-profit users
The Advanced 3D Imaging Facility will adopt two separate policies for users from non-profit and for-profit organizations (referred to as "N-PEEPS" and "F-PEEPS").
For-profit individuals and organizations will get to use the facility for an hourly rate - much lower than at comparable facilities - which will be used to support the growth of the lab.
Not-for-profit organizations, however, will be able to use the facility free of charge - and 50% of the time will be reserved for them, to ensure they don't get passed over in favour of paying customers.
In addition, any non-proprietary 3D datasets generated in the lab will get added to a digital library, which will be freely accessible online.
More details on the Kickstarter campaign are available here.