Open Source Hardware

Open Source(-like) software has been around for over 20 years, if not in label, certainly as a principle.  In many ways, it is the grandfather of all things now Open Source, notwithstanding it's precursors.  For that reason, there is a large selection of excellent software available under this type of licensing and it almost seems commonplace these days.

Open (Source) Hardware streches this can of worms to limits that almost seem overwhelming.  From electronics to vehicles to architecture to tools and textiles, there are boundless opportunities for open source.  So where does one even begin?  Because Open Hardware is such a relatively new concept, one can get lost trying to internet search something relevant.  But, there are places where one can at least start.

Like the Open Source food article pointed out, "free" instructions are not necessarily "Open Source" instructions.  There are plenty of DIY sites available, but unless they are implicitly labelled under open source or public domain licensing, then by default they are copyright and technically cannot be shared or modified.

What we can look for these days are repositories of information that implicitly state that their information and content falls within Open Source Licenses.

In the works is the Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) which is new and still under non-profit pending status in the US.  Due to the expressed nature of the organization and the intention to eventually be a global organization, it is unlikely that they will be a repository of project lists.  That's not to say they will not refer to certain projects, but due to their nature, they should not appear to favour any one or few projects.  Rather, they will certainly be a resource of information on how an Open Source Hardware project should conduct itself and potentially be certified as an official open source project.  Some information to that end is already available on their web site.

For this article, we will keep our open hardware references to electronics, since that has been one of the forerunners in this new movement, at least to label themselves as such.

One repository of Open Source Hardware is the Open Hardware Repository.  It contains a list of known Open Hardware initiatives.  As noted in the information contained in the repository, it points specifically to an Open Hardware License.  As referenced, CERN took the initiative in early 2011 to create an Open Hardware License (OHL).

As one will find in Open Software, there are many of different Open Licenses and many licenses compete for being standard and defacto.  That is likely to happen within Hardware licenses.  Know your licenses and what rights and obligations they spell out.

One common electronic hardware platform that the geek world has embraced is called Arduino.  Basically, it is a simple, programmable circuit board that has "limitless" potential.  As the Arduino web site self proclaims, "Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments."

For more open hardware fun, there's DangerousPROTOTYPES. We will discuss the business principles behind Open Source at a later date.  Suffice it to say, this website does promote the sale of certain aspects of its projects, which it suggests will occur at a rate of one new project per month.  At least there is likely to be a great list of ideas from this site.

Lastly, we will just mention 3D printing.  The consumer 3D printer industry exploded with the advent of Open Hardware.  That said, not all projects are created equal and at least one company that started out as Open Source, has now become a proprietary, closed source entity.  So it can be with the industry.  We will discuss 3D printing in greater detail in a future article.