Qi hardware
Encyclopedia
Qi hardware, also called Copyleft hardware, is hardware that attempts to apply the Free Software Foundation's
GNU GPL concept of copylefting
software to the hardware
layer. The project is both a popular open hardware community websites and a company, co-founded by Wolfgang Spraul and Yi Zhang, that makes hardware products. Originally formed from the ashes of the Openmoko
project, several key members formed Qi Hardware Inc and Sharism At Work Ltd. Thus far, the project has released the Ben Nanonote
, the Milkymist One
, and the Ben WPAN wireless project to create a copyleft wireless platform.
The distinction between copyleft hardware and open source hardware is very similar to the distintion between Free Software
and Open Source Software. Copyleft hardware is essentially requiring that all plans for Hardware design (i.e.schematics
, bill of materials
and PCB
layout data) are released under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike license and that the software needed to both manufacture the device and at least some software, including drivers
, necessary to use the hardware is released under the GNU Public License. Technology for copyleft hardware are to be patent-free
, and hence, all hardware which is Qi hardware is to be released early, often and publicly on the Internet
.
The primary examples of copyleft hardware are the Ben NanoNote
pocket computer, Elphel
353 video camera and Milkymist One video synthesizer
.
Free Software Foundation
The Free Software Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4 October 1985 to support the free software movement, a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to create, distribute and modify computer software...
GNU GPL concept of copylefting
Copyleft
Copyleft is a play on the word copyright to describe the practice of using copyright law to offer the right to distribute copies and modified versions of a work and requiring that the same rights be preserved in modified versions of the work...
software to the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
layer. The project is both a popular open hardware community websites and a company, co-founded by Wolfgang Spraul and Yi Zhang, that makes hardware products. Originally formed from the ashes of the Openmoko
Openmoko
Openmoko is a project to create a family of open source mobile phones, including the hardware specification and the operating system. The project was sponsored by Openmoko Inc....
project, several key members formed Qi Hardware Inc and Sharism At Work Ltd. Thus far, the project has released the Ben Nanonote
Ben NanoNote
The Ben NanoNote is a small cheap pocket computer that runs Linux. OpenWrt is the software platform and the Ben Nanonote is the physical development platform for the Qi Hardware project.From the Ben Nanonote website:- History :...
, the Milkymist One
Milkymist
The Milkymist project is an informal organization of people and companies who develop, manufacture and sell a comprehensive open source solution for the live synthesis of interactive visual effects for VJs...
, and the Ben WPAN wireless project to create a copyleft wireless platform.
The distinction between copyleft hardware and open source hardware is very similar to the distintion between Free Software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
and Open Source Software. Copyleft hardware is essentially requiring that all plans for Hardware design (i.e.schematics
Circuit diagram
A circuit diagram is a simplified conventional graphical representation of an electrical circuit...
, bill of materials
Bill of materials
A bill of materials is a list of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components, components, parts and the quantities of each needed to manufacture an end product...
and PCB
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
layout data) are released under the Creative Commons
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
Attribution-ShareAlike license and that the software needed to both manufacture the device and at least some software, including drivers
Device driver
In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
, necessary to use the hardware is released under the GNU Public License. Technology for copyleft hardware are to be patent-free
Software patent
Software patent does not have a universally accepted definition. One definition suggested by the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure is that a software patent is a "patent on any performance of a computer realised by means of a computer program".In 2005, the European Patent Office...
, and hence, all hardware which is Qi hardware is to be released early, often and publicly on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
The primary examples of copyleft hardware are the Ben NanoNote
Ben NanoNote
The Ben NanoNote is a small cheap pocket computer that runs Linux. OpenWrt is the software platform and the Ben Nanonote is the physical development platform for the Qi Hardware project.From the Ben Nanonote website:- History :...
pocket computer, Elphel
Elphel
Elphel is an open hardware and open source camera designed by Elphel Inc. primarily for scientific applications, though due to its both open hardware and open source camera software, FLOSS it can easily be customised for many different applications. Elphel Inc...
353 video camera and Milkymist One video synthesizer
Milkymist
The Milkymist project is an informal organization of people and companies who develop, manufacture and sell a comprehensive open source solution for the live synthesis of interactive visual effects for VJs...
.
See also
- List of open source hardware projects
- Amateur radioAmateur radioAmateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
and Amateur televisionAmateur televisionAmateur television is the transmission of Broadcast quality video and audio over the wide range of frequencies of allocated for Radio amateur use. ATV is used for non-commercial experimentation, pleasure and public service events... - DIY
- Electronic design automationElectronic design automationElectronic design automation is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits...
- Engineers Without BordersEngineers Without BordersEngineers Without Borders – International is an international association of some national EWB/ISF groups, whose mission is to facilitate collaboration, exchange of information, and assistance among its member groups that have applied to become part of the association...
- FreeCAD (software)FreeCAD (software)FreeCAD is a general purpose 3D CAD modeler. It is free software . FreeCAD is aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other engineering specialties.FreeCAD features tools similar to CATIA,...
- Free contentFree contentFree content, or free information, is any kind of functional work, artwork, or other creative content that meets the definition of a free cultural work...
- Free softwareFree softwareFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
- Homebrew Computer ClubHomebrew Computer ClubThe Homebrew Computer Club was an early computer hobbyist users' group in Silicon Valley, which met from March 5, 1975 to December 1986...
- Graphics hardware and FOSS
- Open CASCADEOpen CASCADEOpen CASCADE Technology is a software development platform for 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, etc. that is developed and supported by OPEN CASCADE SAS. It is available under the "Open CASCADE Technology Public License" which the developer claims to be . Despite this claim, it is not listed as compatible with...
- software development platform freely available in open source. - Open contentOpen contentOpen content or OpenContent is a neologism coined by David Wiley in 1998 which describes a creative work that others can copy or modify. The term evokes open source, which is a related concept in software....
- Open designOpen designOpen design is the development of physical products, machines and systems through use of publicly shared design information. The process is generally facilitated by the Internet and often performed without monetary compensation...
- Open-source physical design with a wider focus - Open sourceOpen sourceThe term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
- Open-source softwareOpen-source softwareOpen-source software is computer software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software.Open...
- Open-source roboticsOpen-source roboticsAn open-source robot is a robot whose blueprints, schematics or source code are released under an open-source model.-Full robot projects:*, Open Hardware Medical-Research liquid handling robot*, Mobile Telepresence Research Project, Est...