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Open Hardware for Dummies: An Introductory Guide

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Open Hardware refers to physical artifacts — machines, devices, or other physical things — whose design has been publicly released, allowing anyone to study, modify, make, and distribute the design or the hardware based on that design. The term is derived from its software counterpart, "Open Source Software".

Open Hardware Fostering Innovation?

Open Hardware encourages a collaborative approach to design and development, allowing for:

  1. Crowd-sourced problem solving: Multiple minds can work together to improve designs and troubleshoot problems.
  2. Rapid prototyping and innovation: Open source designs can be quickly iterated upon, leading to faster innovation.
  3. Democratized access to technology: Open Hardware can be produced and modified by anyone, broadening access to technology and enabling local adaptations.

Examples of Open Hardware

Here are some notable examples:

  1. Arduino: An open-source electronics platform used for building digital devices and interactive objects.
  2. Raspberry Pi: A series of small single-board computers developed to promote the teaching of basic computer science.

Both Arduino and Rpi has greatly impacted the world of electronics, education, and prototyping due to its Open Hardware model. They have empowered students, hobbyists, and professionals to create thousands of projects from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments. Its accessible and modifiable design has allowed for wide-scale innovation and technological democratization.

Open Hardware Licenses

Open Hardware Licenses guide the use, modification, and distribution of Open Hardware designs. Here are a few examples:

CERN Open Hardware License (CERN OHL)

Created by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), this license was designed to govern the use of hardware design documentation and support knowledge exchange across the electronics community. This encourages and ensures that improvements to licensed open hardware return to the community.

Solderpad Hardware License (SHL)

The Solderpad Hardware License is a permissive license that aims to make it straightforward for individuals and companies to use and contribute to open hardware designs. It was created with the intention of filling the gap between software-focused licenses and the domain of hardware.

TAPR Open Hardware License (TAPR OHL)

The TAPR Open Hardware License was created by the Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) organization. This license is intended to guarantee the freedom to share and modify open hardware designs, similar to the GPL license in the open source software community.

Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) Certification

While not a license per se, OSHWA offers a certification program for makers to indicate that their products comply with the community definition of open source hardware. It encourages a standard for creators to follow and allows consumers to understand the values and process behind the creation of the hardware.

Creative Commons Licenses

While not explicitly designed for hardware, Creative Commons licenses are sometimes used in the context of open hardware, particularly for aspects that involve documentation or supporting content. These licenses offer a range of permissions for others to use, distribute, and build upon the work.

This blog post is intended to serve as a general guide to Open Hardware. Always consult with a legal expert for advice related to your specific situation or project.