Collaboration in open-source hardware: third-party variations on the arduino duemilanove

Authors:
David Mellis;Leah Buechley
Affiliations:
Massachusettes Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;Massachusettes Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Venue:
Proceedings of the ACM 2012 conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work
Year:
2012

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Abstract

This paper looks at collaboration in open-source hardware: physical goods whose digital design files are shared for others to make or modify. Through research into nine variations on the Arduino Duemilanove (an electronic circuit board) and interviews with their developers, we explore the process and outcome of open-source hardware development. We find a structure that differs substantially from that of most open-source software projects, involving many small-scale collaborations rather than a centralized process. We discuss three possible reasons for this structure: differing component selections, the investment required for prototyping, and the lack of software collaboration tools.