Open Source Appropriate Technology

Open source appropriate technology (OSAT) refers to technologies that are designed in the same fashion as free ^[1] and open-source software.

Open source is a development method for appropriate technology that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. Appropedia is an excellent example of open source appropriate technology . Here anyone can both learn how to make and use AT free of patent concerns. At the same time anyone can also add to the collective open source knowledge base by contributing ideas, observations, experimental data, deployment logs, etc. The potential for open source appropriate technology to drive applied sustainability is enormous. The built in continuous peer-review should result in better quality, higher reliability, and more flexibility than conventional design/patenting of technologies. The free nature of the knowledge also provides lower costs, particularly for those technologies that do not benefit to a large degree from scale of manufacture. Finally, OSAT also enables the end to predatory intellectual property lock-in. This is particularly important in the context of technology focused on relieving suffering and saving lives in the developing world.

The "open source" model can act as a driver of sustainable development. There are (at least) three good reasons [1]:

1. it enables production as well as consumption;
2. it enables localization for communities that do not have the resources to tempt commercial developers to provide local versions of their products;
3. it can be free as in "gratis" as well as free as in "libre" -- an important consideration for developing communities.

Ethical Considerations

Although developing world problems are portioned remarkably low support for solutions, many researchers, companies, and academics do work on products meant to assist sustainable development. Vinay Gupta has suggested that those developers agree to three principles[2]:

1. I will not permit any human being to be deprived of live-giving technology by the profit motive.
2. Any works that I patent I will make available to others who are engaged in humanitarian activity for free, except where this would breach other contractual responsibilities.
3. I will not use patent law to slow the pace of innovation or service delivery to the needy under any circumstances.

Others:

• For a basic discussion of OSAT see Agroblogger
• Another excellent site is the P2P Foundation The Peer to Peer (P2P) Network function as a clearinghouse for open/free, participatory/p2p and commons-oriented initiatives.
  • [3]
• Project Sunshine
• Sustainablog