Commentary

Accelerating science and improving equitable access to hands-on STEM education through open science hardware | Gathering for Open Science Hardware

Publishing date: 2017-12-05 Published on: GOSH News summary: The US National Science Foundation (NSF) recently published a call for suggestions of research areas that could benefit from ‘networks of networks’ between US and international researchers.

Imagining the “open” university: Sharing scholarship to improve research and education

Publishing date: 2017-10-24 Published on: PLOS Biology summary: Open scholarship, such as the sharing of articles, code, data, and educational resources, has the potential to improve university research and education as well as increase the impact universities can have beyond their own walls.

Ethoscopes: An open platform for high-throughput ethomics

Publishing date: 2017-10-19 Published on: PLOS Biology summary: This design is a rig for high-throughput behavioural experiments with genetically amenable model species such as fruit flies. At its core, it is a webcam (RPi camera) focussed at a set of interchangable behavioural arena arrays for parallel recording of multiple aninals at once.

What is the “Source” of Open Source Hardware?

Publishing date: 2017-09-05 Published on: Journal of Open Hardware summary: Based on analysis of public documentation of 132 products, this paper provides an overview of how practitioners tend to interpret the concept of open source hardware.

The €100 lab: A 3D-printable open-source platform for fluorescence microscopy, optogenetics, and accurate temperature control during behaviour of zebrafish, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans

Publishing date: 2017-07-18 Published on: PLOS Biology summary: The paper describes a €100 portable and neurogenetics lab. Built with off the shelf components and 3D printed parts it is a versatile tool that due to its modular design can be useful in different fields.

Open-source, community-driven microfluidics with Metafluidics

Publishing date: 2017-06-07 Published on: Nature Biotechnology summary: Metafluidics, an open-source, community-driven repository that hosts digital design files, assembly specifications, and open-source software to enable users to build, configure, and operate a microfluidic device.

An open source pharma roadmap

Publishing date: 2017-04-18 Published on: PLOS Medicine summary: Editors note: This paper offers ideas and suggestion for new and open source ways of developing drugs and treatments. The idea is to rely on the open source philosophy and have companies/non-profits/academics/government working together in an open setting.

Upon the Shoulders of Giants: Open-Source Hardware and Software in Analytical Chemistry

Publishing date: 2017-04-05 Published on: Analytical Chemistry summary: The authors write to introduce analytical chemists who are new to the open-source movement to best practices and concepts in this area and to survey the state of open-source research in analytical chemistry.

Emerging Business Models for Open Source Hardware

Publishing date: 2017-03-21 Published on: Journal of Open Hardware summary: The rise of Free and Open Source models for software development has catalyzed the growth of Free and Open Source hardware (also known as “Libre Hardware”).

CuboCube: Student creation of a cancer genetics e-textbook using open-access software for social learning

Publishing date: 2017-03-07 Published on: PLOS Biology summary: CuboCube is an open-source learning materials creation system designed to facilitate e-textbook development, with an ultimate goal of improving the social learning experience for students.