Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Softening up the Hard Parts: Making Hardware More Flexible
Whereas software has a clay-like nature, hardware is by definition fixed in stone, or at least
fixed in whatever circuit board reaches an end user. While experienced electrical engineers
or motivated tinkerers can repurpose any piece of hardware to add new functionalities or
simply for fun, the average piece of hardware goes unchanged during its life from factory
floor to dump site. But this does not have to be the case. Just like with software, our goal is
to make hardware practically modifiable by many people rather than by just a small set of
dedicated enthusiasts. With a little forethought and effort, hardware can be made almost as
flexible as software. Just imagine how much electronic waste could be avoided if all of our
outdated electronics could simply be repurposed for a new and important function!
Standard Electronic Components and Mechanical Hardware
Personal fabrication tools and online services make it possible for almost any motivated
hardware developer to get a new circuit board, mechanical system, and enclosure in his or
her hands in a matter of a few hours to just a few days. 3D printed plastics and metals as
well as chemically etched copper circuit boards are like clay that can be sculpted into just
about any form. Just like a software compiler can take a high-level software program and
compile it into machine code to run on your personal computer or tablet, computer-aided
manufacturing (CAM) software can take high-level computer-aided design (CAD) descrip-
tions of your mechanism, enclosures, and circuit boards and produce them in physical form
right before your eyes.
Hardware is just like software, you say? Not quite—or at least not yet. While some
materials and processes are as easily moldable as clay, other components and hardware
still have to be ordered online or sourced locally. For example, a given widget might re-
quire hundreds of electrical components, a few off-the-shelf motors, and a dozen or so
fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts) before other developers can begin to make additions to your
design. Having a circuit board, mechanisms, and enclosure in your hand in hours means
nothing if you have to wait days or weeks for the last of the required components to ar-
rive. The situation becomes even worse if you have to search for the requirements and or-
der them from dozens of different vendors. Hardware becomes truly accessible when it re-
lies only on standard and readily available components and hardware. When designing
your open source hardware, take care to do research into the availability of the compon-
ents you are evaluating not just online, but everywhere you expect your product to reach.
