Open Source Hardware
Open-Source Hardware
Open-source hardware (OSH) refers to the design and development of physical artifacts of technology using open-design principles. These artifacts can include mechanical drawings, schematics, bills of material, PCB layout data, hardware description language (HDL) source code, and integrated circuit layout data. The ethos of open-source hardware is closely aligned with the open-source software movement and the broader open-design movement, facilitating a culture of sharing and collaboration.
Principles and Practices
In open-source hardware, like in free and open-source software, the designs are made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, make, and sell the hardware based on that design. The Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) advocates for these principles and serves as a hub for community collaboration.
The principles governing OSH include:
- Transparency: All the information necessary to reproduce a piece of hardware, including design files and source code, is made available.
- Modularity: Design systems are often broken down into interchangeable and self-contained modules to facilitate easier sharing and adaptation.
- Community Collaboration: Like open-source software, OSH relies on community feedback and contributions to improve and evolve the hardware.
Applications
Open-source hardware finds applications across various fields, including robotics, electronics, and even automotive design. Examples include the development of open-source cars and open-source robotics projects, which are publicly sharing blueprints and design principles.
Reconfigurable Logic Devices
With the advent of reconfigurable programmable logic devices, sharing logic designs has become a form of open-source hardware. Developers use HDL code instead of traditional schematics to set up system-on-a-chip systems in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or directly in application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
Community and Economic Impact
Open-source hardware enables creators to gain feedback and potential improvements from a global community. There is evidence that this collaborative model can drive a high return on investment, particularly in the scientific community, by accelerating innovation and reducing costs associated with development and prototyping.