Open-Source Hardware for beginners.
The descriptor “open-source” is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s conversations about technology. It applies to many cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, as well as other forms of software.
You can also use “open-source” to denote a particular type of hardware. Although it refers to a similar concept in both cases, it’s worth digging a little deeper into exactly what it means in the context of hardware to better understand its usage
But before we do, let’s look at a superordinate concept. “Open design” means technological development through the use of publicly shared information. This is generally facilitated through the internet, without remuneration.
With this notion in place, we’re ready to dive deep into just what open-source hardware really is.
What is open-source hardware?
A piece of open-source hardware is any physical technology made using open-design principles. The hardware’s design specifications are licensed so that the object can be created, studied, modified, and distributed by absolutely anyone.
Rather than being restricted to a particular kind of technology or object, the limits of this category lie exclusively in the accessibility of the hardware.
Therefore, an immense variety of products fall within it. There are open-source computers like the BeagleBoard, open-source automobiles, chairs, robots, and open-source variants of many other types of hardware.
What are the advantages of open-source hardware?
To be truly “open-source,” the licence that governs the hardware must allow people to easily obtain the design files. This allows for and encourages others to study, troubleshoot, modify, and improve the hardware in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
On the other hand, “closed” hardware makes recreation and modification of the object as difficult as possible, shutting out innovation and collaboration that benefits everybody.
The wider open-source movement helps to democratize technological research. It allows the world to radically reduce research costs and make design and technology accessible to everyone, including healthcare, energy, and manufacturing industries.
The future of open-source hardware
Since the open-source hardware movement first began to take off around 2010, it has grown impressively. Today, it includes an incredibly diverse group of people working on many designs.
According to data released by the Open Source Hardware Association, open-source hardware has been certified in 45 countries across the world, covering every continent except Antarctica.
The community will, by all appearances, continue to expand. Although most certified projects are comprised mostly of electronics, there are currently open licenses in over fifteen other industries.
Provided that the movement’s progress keeps its current momentum, the ideals of collaboration and innovation that underpin it are likely to become ubiquitous.
