Everything about Open Design totally explained
Open design is the application of
open source methods to the creation of physical products, machines and systems.
Sources of the open design movement
The principles of open design are derived from the
Free Software and
Open Source movements. In 1997
Eric S. Raymond,
Tim O'Reilly and
Larry Augustin established "Open Source" as an alternative expression to "Free Software," and in 1997
Bruce Perens published the Open Source Definition. In late 1998, Dr. Sepehr Kiani (a PhD in mechanical engineering from MIT) realized that designers could benefit from Open Source policies, and in early 1999 he convinced Dr. Ryan Vallance and Dr. Samir Nayfeh of the potential benefits of open design in machine design applications.. Together they established the Open Design Foundation (ODF) as a non-profit corporation, and set out to develop an Open Design Definition.
Current directions of the open design movement
The open design movement currently unites two trends. On the one hand, people apply their skills and time to projects for the
common good, perhaps where funding or commercial interest is lacking, for
developing countries or to help to spread ecological or cheaper technologies. At the other end of the scale, open design may provide a framework for developing very advanced projects and technologies that might be beyond the resource of any one company or country and involve people who, without the
copyleft mechanism, might not otherwise collaborate.
Open machine design as compared to open-source software
The "open design" movement is currently fairly nascent but holds great potential for the future. In some respects design and engineering are even more suited to open collaborative development than the increasing common open-source software projects, because with 3D models and photographs the concept can often be understood visually. It isn't even necessary that the project members speak the same languages to usefully collaborate.
However there are certain barriers to overcome for open design when compared to software development where there are mature and widely used tools available and the duplication and distribution of code cost next to nothing. Creating, testing and modifying physical designs isn't quite so straightforward because of the effort, time and cost required to create the physical artefact; although with access to emerging flexible computer-controlled manufacturing techniques the complexity and effort of construction can be significantly reduced (see tools mentioned in the
fab lab article).
Open design organizations
Open design is currently a fledgling movement consisting of several unrelated or loosely related initiates. Many of these organizations are single, funded projects, while a few organizations are focusing on an area needing development.
Semi-Open standards
These links relate to
open standards but are not truly open in the free and open-source sense due to license restrictions.
- Open Design Alliance
The Open Design Alliance is an association of software developers and users committed to promoting open, industry-standard formats for the exchange of CAD data.
- IntelliCAD Technology Consortium is an independent organization committed to promoting a cooperatively developed CAD engine. The IntelliCAD Technology Consortium is one of several Founding Members of the Open Design Alliance.
Examples of open design projects
GOOD STOVE - An initiative to mitigate climate change through adaptation".
Steven Jones' open-source solar cooker
The Open Source Green Vehicle (SSM-OSGV) is a project of the Society for Sustainable Mobility (SSM), a nonprofit organization. SSM's 3-part Mission is to create business plans, sustainable technologies and an open design infrastructure (including a licensing structure and a web-based PDM system) to enable open-design development of highly fuel efficient vehicles.
OScar (open source car) The OScar project an open source car "simple and functional project".
C,mm,n-project, aiming to design an open source car (thus being similar to the OScar project)
Hugh Piggot's DIY Open-source Wind turbine
A open-source wind turbine by ForceField
A open-source wind turbine built from locally-obtainable components
Open Source Velomobile Development Project - velomobile project from the International Human Powered Vehicle Association
SHPEGS project - collective development of a system that uses indirect solar collection to generate electricity, produce clean water and store thermal energy
RepRap - an open-source rapid prototyping machine from the University of Bath with the additional aim of being substantially self-replicating, for example for the machine to be able to make most of the parts necessary to create a copy of itself.
Fab@Home - an open-source rapid prototyping machine from Cornell University
Eunicycle - partially self-balancing motorised unicycle
Open design products by designer Ronen Kadushin
Hind/CM - a conceptual computer of Indian origin.
RONJA - a completely open source optical wireless networking device
The Open Prosthetics Project
Whirlwind wheelchair - a wheelchair designed to be made in developing countries with local resources.
opensourceproductdesign - an open-source product design platform.
Lunar Boom Town(External Link) is a http://www.wikiversity.org learning project using the open/free paradigm to study and create lunar appropriate free technology and business methods.
LED Throwies - non-destructive graffiti and light displaysFurther Information
Get more info on 'Open Design'.
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