For Yuksel Temiz, photographing extremely tiny subjects is just part of his job as a microelectronics engineer at IBM’s Zurich Research Laboratory. Temiz works on minuscule devices that use microfluidics: a type of tiny, liquid-based circuitry that, instead of using metal wires, directs the flow of liquid through hair-thin channels like a microscopic canal system. Specifically, Temiz and his team develop the underlying technology for miniature diagnostic tools that can take in and analyze samples, like a medical patient’s blood or saliva. But to actually develop and test those tools, engineers need to rely on extremely powerful microscopes, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars apiece.