Programmable Blinky Lights, DIY Desktop Fab and 3D Printing, Arduino Boards
Projects on the Move: MiniPOV, Contraptor, Arduino
Free/Open Source isn’t just about software, it’s also about hardware. Open hardware projects are proliferating, and just like open source software, you can get started inexpensively. Here are three projects that are fun, useful, and suitable for beginners to embedded programming, robotics, and building electronic devices.
The speed bump for Free/Open Source has always been hardware. Open, freely shareable code and a free open Internet are two of three essential components of the FOSS world. The third is open hardware, because, obviously, all that great software needs hardware. To me, it is silly to encumber any hardware with secret specifications, closed proprietary firmware, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), or any kind of “intellectual property” nonsense. Hobbyists, hackers, and do-it-yourselfers are drivers of innovation and improvements, although in this new era of “the customer is the criminal,” that message is often lost. Happily, open hardware has seen a small explosion in growth. “Open” covers a lot of ground: licenses, specifications, hardware description language (HDL) code, schematics, and more. Please see the good Wikipedia article “Open-source hardware” for more information on the details of what open hardware means.
Everything seems to be controlled by microchips these days, and microchips need to be programmed. These three projects introduce the fundamental concepts and skills of embedded programming and robotics while being fun and inexpensive.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.