OpenSource Hardware Production

[folkn...@googlemail.com]

Hi Guys

I just uploaded a post about OpenSource Hardware production which
discusses some of the obstacles vs OpenSource Software production -
http://blog.folknology.com/2009/08/11/open-hardware-production/ . More
importantly however it starts the ball rolling on one of the projects
that could help get over some of these issues an Open Device Bus
allowing partial hardware modularisation.

I would be interested in your feedback, and would certainly appreciate
help with the project, I have alreday some basic designs I would love
to discuss and hammer out etc..

Thoughts?

[Paul Tanner]

I think I agree that yet another bus standard may be needed for open
source hardware.
(Takes me back to S-100)
However, there are quite a few buses out there with a lot of good
support (cases, power etc)
Any reason not to consider existing bus designs even if we envisage a
different CPU and O/S?
BTW. Can anyone suggest a nice, small, quiet linux box that's
available off-the-shelf?
Paul

Paul Tanner - Virtual Technologies - http://www.virtual-techno.com
Tel: +44 1494 581979 Mob: +44 7973 223239 mailto:pa...@virtual-techno.com

[folkn...@googlemail.com]

On 14 Aug, 13:57, Paul Tanner <p...@virtual-techno.com> wrote:
> I think I agree that yet another bus standard may be needed for open
> source hardware.
> (Takes me back to S-100)
> However, there are quite a few buses out there with a lot of good
> support (cases, power etc)
> Any reason not to consider existing bus designs even if we envisage a
> different CPU and O/S?

I haven't really put enough info up to explain the deeper thinking
behind it but the reason for not using an existing bus is that I could
not find 1 that met the requirements (apart from minibus but that
seems proprietary and processor specific).

The idea here is a very simple micro bus aimed at embedded
microcontrollers and using minimum extra logic/chips etc..

It isn't really like a fully fledged bus like pc104/s-100 its much
simpler, currently I envisage it using only 20 pins. This reduces
complexity, chip count and cost. The bus peripherals (boards/shields)
tend to be tiny e.g 1" square (although they can be bigger if using
through hole rather than smd) this significantly reduces costs. A
solenoid/relay or simple stepper motor driver board could be assembled
for less than £5.

The key is standardized very low cost bus shields that can be produced
and replicated very easily, that is the design motivation, its aimed a
OpenSource hardware production and should be able to leverage
distributed production. My aim is to make tooling up for production of
the shields relatively low cost and standardised so if anyone fancies
it they can get involved.

Obviously traditional buses have very different basic requirements and
motives.

I Hope this helps I can upload some docs if you like or go into more
detail at the September 10th meetup, show the specs and examples I'm
working on to clarify things.

> BTW. Can anyone suggest a nice, small, quiet linux box that's
> available off-the-shelf?

Does it need to be Intel compatible ?