RASPI (Raspberry Pi system for Streaming and Pictures for Ophthalmologic Teaching and Communications)

The current limitations of easily sharing images from the ophthalmic slit lamp exam presents a challenge in medical education. Our RASPI project addresses this restriction by utilizing an affordable minicomputer and 3D-printed custom camera attachment for capturing high-quality images and videos from the slit lamp to share with ophthalmic learners.

We utilized a Raspberry Pi® (Cambridge, UK) minicomputer and its eight-megapixel camera module. With Autodesk Fusion 360® we designed an adapter and 3D-printed it on an Ultimaker 3® that could mount the Raspberry Pi and its camera to the slit lamp side teaching scope.

Pictures and videos of the anterior segment as well as of the posterior pole were taken with reliable quality. The live video streaming set could also be streamed to a remote laptop. The RASPI could also be installed to a microscope in the wet lab for suturing and procedural demonstrations for resident training. We coded the computer to allow cell phones to be able to remotely control the camera to take pictures, videos as well as stream a live examination to an audience of medical students. The overall apparatus cost $320 (CAD).

RASPI was able to take high quality photos and videos of ophthalmic pathology during a slit lamp exam. It has the capability to stream online, with patient consent, for medical training.