Open Source Innovations Hold Promise in Hardware: News Report

The open source world often gets a lot of attention for software. But a recent report says there are five open source hardware innovations that could “change the tech world.” 

The EFY Times reported, for instance, that RepRap is one such revolutionary piece of hardware. Rapid Prototyping has been in use since the 1980s and was utilized in manufacturing and making devices via 3D computer models. To cut down the cost, the replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) was built in 2007.

OpenCores is another important open source hardware innovation, according to The EFY Times. By using hardware description languages (HDL), OpenCores community members can design such items as RISC microprocessors, Gigabit Ethernet controllers and cryptographic hardware, the report said. By using off-the-shelf devices known as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), the cost is lower and configurations can include complex items, the report adds.

In another area, genetics, polymerase chain reactions (PCR (News - Alert)) are used but the device needed to control the temperature of DNA samples is expensive. OpenPCR, under the GPL v3 license, comes as a kit for $599. When assembled, the OpenPCR device holds up to 16 sample tubes and the temperature can be set from 10°C to 100°C, The EFY Times says. Users can set temperatures and control related steps via a computer, the report adds.

In agriculture, farmers, engineers and supporters associated with the Open Source (News - Alert) Ecology (OSE) have developed the Global Village Construction Set (GVCS). It is made up of open source designs for 50 industrial machines. The OSE plans to release the 50 designs by the end of this year. The EFY Times reported that manufacturers were taking orders early this year for four of the machines: a soil pulverizer, a compressed Earth block press, a power cube and a tractor.

In addition, there is an open source computer called “Arduino,” which is used for prototyping or embedding on larger projects, The EFY Times said. It is a compact circuit board which is easily programmed, relatively low in cost and versatile, the report said. The Arduino can be connected to light sensors, buttons, dials, LEDs, LCD displays and buzzers.

In other open source news, TMCnet reported late last year that there was speculation whether Google (News - Alert) will keep the Android OS open source, especially as the company was poised to get thousands of valuable patents from Motorola.

The Street warns that Google’s pledge to keep the Android (News - Alert) operating system open source, and apparently free for smartphones, could actually “hurt its bottom line,” TMCnet adds.