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April 10, 2024
Open source hardware - the designs for which are publicly available and can be reproduced by anyone - can offer powerful benefits, democratising research and making methodologies accessible regardless of a researcher’s institutional context.
In this session, two researchers from the University of Sheffield explore their own relationship to open source hardware, including the factors behind their adoption of open source, key considerations regarding how and where to make hardware specifications available, documentation, licensing decisions, and more. Our speakers will explore the far-reaching benefits of an open source approach to hardware development and open a discussion about potential support needs for researchers considering this route.
David Polson is a Senior University Teacher in Mechanical Design with an interest in designs which can be built and controlled using emerging technologies including 3D printing, microcontrollers, low-cost sensors and low-energy communications. Harry Wright, a Research Associate in the Department of Chemistry, was awarded the University’s Open Research Prize 2023 for his development of FoamPi, a free and open source low-cost alternative for measuring polyurethane foam reactions.