This document summarizes a presentation about the synergies between open source hardware and open source software. It discusses how both are based on principles of openness and sharing. While hardware has additional challenges like costs of components and tooling, communities like OSHUG are helping support open source hardware projects. The presentation then discusses how open standards and communities can help the Internet of Things reach its full potential, though many standards still need to be developed around protocols, APIs, semantics, discoverability and data access.

1. OS Hardware meets OS Software
OS Junction, March 2013
@paul_tanner
Systems Consultant/ Developer/ PM
Member, http://oshug.org/

2. Agenda
● Definitions, Similarities and Differences
● Synergies
● OSHUG
● 1 + 1 = 3 :: The Internet of Things
● Questions x 2

3. Similarities
● gnu.org: “free software” is a matter of liberty,
not price .. think of “free” as in “free speech,”
not as in “free beer”.
● Open Source Hardware … same distinction.

4. OSS-OSH Differences
● Component cost
● Tooling needed
● Support available
● Maturity/ Leadership

5. OSS Success

6. OSH Success

7. OSS Support

8. OSH Support
https://solderpad.com/ http://fritzing.org
Eagle: https://www.cadsoftusa.com https://bitbucket.org/boldport/pcbmode

9. Commercial OSH Help
http://www.adafruit.com/
http://www.sparkfun.com/
http://shop.ciseco.co.uk/
http://oomlout.co.uk/
http://www.skpang.co.uk/
http://uk.rs-online.com/
with apologies to the others ...

10. OS Acceleration
and in hardware: I2C, RS-232, USB, bluetooth,SATA etc.

11. Other Projects of Note
● Copenhagen Suborbitals
● OpenXC (Car aftermarket)
● Android ADK
● CERN OHR
● LocalMotors
● DIYDrones/ OpenPilot
● RiverSimple

12. Formal Definitions
● http://www.oshwa.org/definition OS HWA
● http://opensource.org/docs/osd OS Initiative
● http://gnu.org/ GNU
● Licenses: tomorrow

13. http://oshug.org/
People with a shared interest in Open Source Hardware
Recent meeting topics:
Products (Nanode, An Industry Perspective, Licensing Update)
Embedded (Erlang, Parallella, Compiler Options and Energy Consumption)
Open Source Hardware Camp 2012
Drones (UDB4, OpenRelief, ARDrone + Kinect)
Kits (Homesense, Quick2Wire)
Energy-efficient Computing (Open Compute, BeagleBoard, Event-driven XCore)
Practical System-on-Chip (Program your own open source FPGA SoC)
Manufacturing (Breadboard to Finished Product, Arduino Shield, Modular RepRap Electronics)
Wireless (Hacking Commodity Wireless, Practical Wireless, Contiki OS, CWIG)
Open for Change Pt.2 (Hexayurt, O + S Project, Onawi)

14. OSHUG highlights
Just a sample from our members:
● Nanode
● Open Energy Monitor
● Parallella
● RepRap (TVRUG)
● MBED, BeagleBone etc.
● Raspberry Pi Interfacing
● OpenCores

15. Parallella
“Supercomputing for everyone”

16. Questions so far?

17. Bringing it all together
Internet with things? Web of things?

18. Internet of Things
● Blend of electronics, software and connectivity
● Early stage: need for low-cost experimentation
● Collaborative
● Well-supported by open hardware and software
● However, to reach its potential, it must be about
much more than connectivity

19. Functional Model

20. An elephant in the room

21. What Things?
Measure & Control:
● Utility meters
● Weather sensors
● Biosensors
● Boilers
● Pill dispensers
● Security devices
● etc

22. Semantic challenge
APIs are not enough
Bad practice Good practice
Inspired by W3C semantic web paper

23. Real IoT needs
Mostly still to-do:
● Standards for protocols (incl. real-time)
● Standard APIs
● Standard Semantic Framework
● Standard for Discoverability
● Standards for Data Access permissioning
Much less need to standardise low level hardware

24. Final questions?

25. Thanks for Listening
@paul_tanner
paul [at] virtual-techno.com
http://oshug.org
https://www.slideshare.net/paul_tanner/