f13.net forums - Open Source Hardware

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August 05, 2025, 08:14:47 PM

we're back, baby

I don't know how many folks here are hackers/mashup folks, but I was at Defrag earlier this week and saw a talk about an 'open' hardware platform being developed.

The idea is that there's a base unit running Linux+Java with built-in Wifi, etc with modules you can plug in. The modules can be a GPS unit, a camera, a touch LCD screen, pretty much anything. This thing is the ultimate Lego Mindstorm.

Check it out here, at Bug Labs.

The idea is that you can take the base unit and plug in whatever combination of modules you need to create your own special device. Using the Linux OS plus the built-in Wifi, you can then create applications and internet services based off of it. They even have an API Framework that already knows how to talk to all of the devices, so you aren't doing any special programming for them. For example, you could plug in a motion detector and a camera, and set it up so that it'll take a picture whenever there is motion and then ftp/post/whatever that picture somewhere.

Just thought it was a cool thing to point out.

(Another cool talk at Defrag was about visualizing data (particularly social networking type data) and how the speaker had worked with data from DARPA based on the America's Army game; trying to find what a signature for a competent/well coordinated fire team looked like).

I like the look of the sdk, but there's no telling how it will work out. Completely depends on the community. It's the kind of thing I'd buy and use other peoples software on and only make minor tweaks.

Much like that open source media recorder thing.

Where does it say that the hardware is open source?

Well, it says hackable right on the frontpage. And they give you a full SDK and control over it to write your own shit. I think you can safely call that open source. I don't imagine they own the programs you write for it.

That's open source *software*. Open source hardware is where they publish the schematics and other specs and allow anyone to build the hardware based on it.

The hardware is open source too, meaning that the schematics and the protocol used to communicate with the base unit are freely available to download. So, in theory, you could manufacture/create your own module to plug in. You could also create your own base unit, as I believe that stuff info is available.

I assume the company is going to either work with a 3rd party or themselves to offer some kind of component manufacturing system in order to make more money, but we'll see.

Edit: I was looking for something on their site that says that, but I don't see anything right away and didn't dig through their blog. This is just what the speaker said, who is the founder/ceo of the company - so I assume he wasn't lying.

the size is nice but it seems like time would be better spent creating a platform for the enthusiast to develop USB Devices+API's that work with any old computer.

It will work with any old computer, as it's just Java.

From the presentation, their goal is to create an API that knows how to talk to the various devices - and any computer that can run Java and has the devices attached to it should be able to run an application built for those devices. The example he gave was an app that works with a camera and GPS.. if you build it for their hardware, the application should be portable/runnable on a java-capable cell phone that also has a camera and gps.

Quote from: Viin on November 08, 2007, 08:57:59 AM

that almost makes sense until you take a look at how the modules plug together. Doesn't look like USB or any com port I have seen before. So it won't do you too much good to run this on a normal comp when none of the modules are compatable.

Oh you are saying the modules themselves won't plug into a PC. I bet they come out with an adapter that gets them on USB at some point. Though I think the point is a mobile hand-held device, but being able to develop on a PC would be nice.