Most experimental research projects are executed with a combination of purchased hardware equipment, which may be modified in the laboratory and custom single-built equipment fabricated inhouse. However, the computer software that helps design and execute experiments and analyze data has an additional source: It can also be free and open-source software (FOSS). FOSS has the advantage that the code is openly available for modification and is also often free of charge. In the past, customizing software has been much easier than custom-building equipment, which often can be quite costly because fabrication requires the skills of machinists, glassblowers, technicians, or outside suppliers. However, the open-source paradigm is now enabling creation of open-source scientific hardware by combining 3D printing with open-source microcontrollersW running on FOSS. These developments are illustrated below by several examples of equipment fabrication that can better meet particular specifications at substantially lower overall costs.
[edit | edit source]
Pearce, Joshua M. Share, and We All Grow Richer, The Analytical Scientist, Issue #0213, Article #301 (2013).
- Free and open-source scientific hardware has the potential to liberate collective intelligence and cut costs
Examples[edit | edit source]
Open source scientific hardware is open source hardware used by scientists to do research or for education. This gallery and associated sub-pages are an extension of the book the Open Source Lab, which is about how to make scientific equipment following open source principles.
NIH 3D Print Exchange - 3D-printable Custom Labware
3D printable science equipment - 3D print your lab
3D printable science equipment page 2 - more 3D prints for your lab
3D printable science equipment page 3 - and even more
Open Source Optics Library - and your optics lab
Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Lab's efforts in open source hardware
Open-source syringe pump - Parametric library of web-controlled open-source syringe pumps
GaudiLabs- Swiss Fab Lab making low cost lab instruments
OpenTrons - Open source fluid handling
Plasmatron - OpenTrons derivative for semi-automated culture of malaria parasites
IOrodeo - company making open source science instruments
Cambridge JIC - 3D printable programmable digital microscope
Open Source Imaging, NMR, MRI, EMF
Open Behavior FOSH for animal behavior and cognition
Openly Published Environmental Sensing Lab at OSU- rain catchment, wind vane, soil moisture, etc.
Arduino - a class of open source microcontrollers useful for automating equipment
Raspberry Pi - credit-card sized computer running Linux
Red Pitaya - open source measurement and control tool
OpenLabTools - University of Cambridge initiative in open source hardware for science
Tekla Lab - Berkley's initiative for a library of open source DIY quality scientific lab equipment
Sensorica - an Open Value Network providing sensing and automation solutions.
Hackteria - webplatform and collection of Open Source Biological Art Projects
Open Solar Outdoors Test Field - Solar photovoltaic testing
Open Source Physiology Lab- 3D printing physiology equipment
open ephys works on open-source electrophysiology
Backyard Brains - neuroscience experiment kits for DIY electrophysiology
![Flypi - Portable device for microscopy, thermo and optogenetic experiments [1]](/File:Flypi.png)
- Examples of Open-Source Hardware Useful to Scientists
For more printable open-source scientific equipment see the Learning Category at Thingiverse or any of the subcategories including engineering, math, physics, and biology.
See also[edit | edit source]
- Open-source Lab
- Open source science
- Michigan Tech Open Source Hardware Enterprise
- Open source 3-D printing of OSAT
- Category:Open source optics
- Open-source hardware
- Open-source hardware for research and education
- Open-source hardware for science in Ecuador
- Quantifying the Value of Open Source Hardware Development
- Free and open-source automated 3-D microscope
- Belt-Driven Open Source Circuit Mill Using Low-Cost 3-D Printer Components
- From Open Access to Open Science: The Path From Scientific Reality to Open Scientific Communication
- Open Source Digitally Replicable Lab-Grade Scales
- The Rise of Platinum Open Access Journals with both Impact Factors and Zero Article Processing Charges
- Professors Want to Share: Preliminary Survey Results on Establishing Open Source Endowed Professorships
- Canadian professors’ views on establishing open source endowed professorships
- Towards open source patents: Semi-automated open hardware certification from MediaWiki websites
In the News[edit | edit source]
- 3D Printing Brings the Science Lab to Your Backyard - Popular Mechanics
- 3-D Printing- Anything You Can Dream Jumps Into Three Dimensions - Txchnologist
- Do it yourself and save: Open-source revolution is driving down the cost of doing science - MTU News,CBS Detroit, Detroit City and Press, Phys.Org, Science Daily, Adafruit Blog, Timbuktu Chronicles, Innovation Toronto, Florida Biotechnology News, Lab Manager Magazine
- Open-source, low-cost, and low-input scientific instrumentation - Harte Lab UC Berkley Blog
- How DIY Tech Is Making Science Cheaper - Treehugger, Berita Buzz, Grep Science
- DIY Lab Tools Save Scientists Thousands of Dollars - - BioTechniques
- 3D Printing in the Lab - Will Lab Hardware Follow Software into Open-Source? - Mad Scientist at Large
- Scientists bring 3D printing into the lab - 3Ders.org
- Our Open Source Future - The Analytical Scientist
- Making Equipment for the Lab,in the Lab - The Economic Times India
- Chế tạo thiết bị cho phòng thí nghiệm dùng Arduino và công nghệ in 3D - Sotatec's Blog about Arduino
- Science Enabled By Open Source Hardware - Openalia
- DIY analytical instruments - Separations Now
- DIY, open-source science drives costs down - Hematology Times
- Build your own lab equipment - The Stochastic Scientist
- 3-D Printing - The Scientist
- 3D Printing and Open Source Appropriate Technology - PrintThat
- A Paradigm Shift - Industrial Engineer
- Building research equipment with free, open-source hardware Adafruit
- Print your own lab - Chemistry and Industry Magazine
- 3-D Printers Move Into Research Labs - Chemical and Engineering News
- Need A Centrifuge? Print One Out - Central Science Newscripts
- The 3-D Printing Revolution-Dreams made real, one layer at a time Science News
- Less Expensive and Greener 3-D Printing- IEEE Institute
- Opinion: Science Counterculture - On taking DIYbio to the next level - The Scientist (great op ed with biohack examples)