Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
into a bead grinder for use with DNA extraction (Pearce, 2014). Similarly, the
DremelFuge chuck is a 3D-printable rotor for centrifuging standard micro-centrifuge
tubes and mini-prep columns powered by a common Dremel drill. Thus, for an investment
of $50 in a drill and a few pennies' worth of printed plastic, one can have the functionality
of commercial centrifuge systems, which cost hundreds and sometimes thousands of dol-
lars. Similar savings can be found in a wide range of other scientific equipment classes
(Pearce, 2014), such as optics (Zhang et al., 2013), biology (Wijnen et al., 2014), and
chemistry (Anzalone et al., 2013).
The most aggressive savings can come from coupling open source Arduino controls to
3D-printed objects to make completely open source automated scientific hardware. For
example, the less than $200 Arduino-controlled open source orbital shaker fits inside a
standard 37°C/5% CO
2
cell incubator and replaces commercial versions whose prices start
at more than $1000 (a factor of 5× savings). As the scientific tools grow in complexity,
the cost differences between the open source and closed source versions become even
more substantial. Our lab has developed a customizable automated filter wheel for less
than $50 that replaces a $2500 commercial version (a factor of 50× savings) (Pearce,
wheel and put different optical filters in the path of light for our solar photovoltaic experi-
ments. All of the source code to make and use it is open source, including the design files,
demonstrates the power of open source hardware particularly effectively, as it was written
carefully in OpenSCAD to be parametric (
Figure 16.1
)
, so that other scientists can easily
adjust the number or size of filters for their specific applications. The electronics, firm-
ware, and software are also open source, so the need to pay for high-cost equipment for
this purpose is now completely eliminated for all scientists.
8
.
Open-source filter wheel changer:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:26553
9
.
OpenSCAD:
www.openscad.org/