Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics
Abstract
Abstract Openly shared low-cost electronic hardware applications, known as open electronics, have sparked a new open-source movement, with much untapped potential to advance scientific research. Initially designed to appeal to electronic hobbyists, open electronics have formed a global “maker” community and are increasingly used in science and industry. In this perspective article, we review the current costs and benefits of open electronics for use in scientific research ranging from the experimental to the theoretical sciences. We discuss how user-made electronic applications can help (I) individual researchers, by increasing the customization, efficiency, and scalability of experiments, while improving data quantity and quality; (II) scientific institutions, by improving access to customizable high-end technologies, sustainability, visibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration potential; and (III) the scientific community, by improving transparency and reproducibility, helping decouple research capacity from funding, increasing innovation, and improving collaboration potential among researchers and the public. We further discuss how current barriers like poor awareness, knowledge access, and time investments can be resolved by increased documentation and collaboration, and provide guidelines for academics to enter this emerging field. We highlight that open electronics are a promising and powerful tool to help scientific research to become more innovative and reproducible and offer amore »
- Publication Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1895512
- Grant/Contract Number:
- PTDC/BIA-BMA/31053/2017; CEECIND/01424/2017
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Integrative and Comparative Biology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Integrative and Comparative Biology Journal Volume: 62 Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 1540-7063
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Oellermann, Michael, Jolles, Jolle W., Ortiz, Diego, Seabra, Rui, Wenzel, Tobias, Wilson, Hannah, and Tanner, Richelle L. Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1093/icb/icac043.
Oellermann, Michael, Jolles, Jolle W., Ortiz, Diego, Seabra, Rui, Wenzel, Tobias, Wilson, Hannah, & Tanner, Richelle L. Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics. United States. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac043
Oellermann, Michael, Jolles, Jolle W., Ortiz, Diego, Seabra, Rui, Wenzel, Tobias, Wilson, Hannah, and Tanner, Richelle L. Fri .
"Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics". United States. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac043.
@article{osti_1895512,
title = {Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics},
author = {Oellermann, Michael and Jolles, Jolle W. and Ortiz, Diego and Seabra, Rui and Wenzel, Tobias and Wilson, Hannah and Tanner, Richelle L.},
abstractNote = {Abstract Openly shared low-cost electronic hardware applications, known as open electronics, have sparked a new open-source movement, with much untapped potential to advance scientific research. Initially designed to appeal to electronic hobbyists, open electronics have formed a global “maker” community and are increasingly used in science and industry. In this perspective article, we review the current costs and benefits of open electronics for use in scientific research ranging from the experimental to the theoretical sciences. We discuss how user-made electronic applications can help (I) individual researchers, by increasing the customization, efficiency, and scalability of experiments, while improving data quantity and quality; (II) scientific institutions, by improving access to customizable high-end technologies, sustainability, visibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration potential; and (III) the scientific community, by improving transparency and reproducibility, helping decouple research capacity from funding, increasing innovation, and improving collaboration potential among researchers and the public. We further discuss how current barriers like poor awareness, knowledge access, and time investments can be resolved by increased documentation and collaboration, and provide guidelines for academics to enter this emerging field. We highlight that open electronics are a promising and powerful tool to help scientific research to become more innovative and reproducible and offer a key practical solution to improve democratic access to science.},
doi = {10.1093/icb/icac043},
journal = {Integrative and Comparative Biology},
number = 4,
volume = 62,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Fri May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}
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