ChoOsing Open Source
Humanity is faced with many issues; fighting cancer, solving world hunger, housing an ever growing population, recycling materials like plastic; but it’s the mechanism in which we try to solve these issues that can really have an impact. Efforts in solving these issues are varied but the methodology of using an open source model can hold better promise than individual or corporate approaches. The idea behind open source is not new but having seen how well it works for software, communities have begun to implement this idea as a way of solving their issues, empowering them to collaborate and share the progress and outcomes with everyone. Looking at these communities we can see the power behind this movement in reduction in cost and time to results, creative ways of reusing, and implementing local changes to name a few benefits of this approach.
Housing
Alastair Parvin with project WikiHouse is working to bring sustainable new housing to the low income classes across the global. Most of this target audience are currently without a home or living in unsafe houses. The way WikiHouse is doing this is by freely sharing designs that can be built from DIY CNC machines and plywood without the need for further tools or materials. With a project like this an impoverished community can work together to be building homes for each other at reasonable costs. (WikiHouse)
Alastair Parvin: Architecture for the people by the people – ted.com
Medical
Jay Bradner, a cancer researcher, talks about opening up his research to his peers in his Ted Talk “Open-source cancer research”. This move to transparency is contrary to the way the drug industry usually works. By changing paradigms, the community was able to find a cure to a particular strain of cancer faster than if Jay’s lab had worked alone. In his talk Jay explains that open source and crowd source funding have become integral pieces of his research going forward. Using the open source method here the reduction in time for research projects in the medical fields can have a direct impact with saving lives. (Ted)
Machines
The Open Source Ecology (OSE) group is seeking to develop a repository of machine designs and blueprints for the most essential machines that make up modern life and they can be made for a fraction of the cost. Specifically, OSE is looking at some of the most important machines responsible for modern living: tractors, ovens, motors, batteries, and mills to name a few. Focusing on machines that can build other machines, OSE has a mindset for being adaptable for whatever future holds. (Open Source Ecology)
Reuse
Precious Plastic is open sourcing the blueprints for machines that tackle plastic recycling. This small decision to create machine designs that anyone across the world could build with common materials and open source those blueprints puts the ability to reuse discarded plastics into the individual’s hands. Since the machines are modular and able to output the reused plastic into basic forms it gives the individual the ability to repurpose and remake their creations as they see fit. Precious Plastic is a great example of the community’s ability to come up with creative ways to reuse what would otherwise be discarded items. (Precious Plastic)
Act Locally
Another group, FarmBot.io, has made a machine geared towards home and small scale farmers. This machine has the ability to run programmed around the clock, planting and watering crops. All of the models and software that runs FarmBot are open source, meaning the community has the potential to grow the FarmBot project even further than its current capabilities. Projects like FarmBot show how the community can create a sustainable change at local level. (FarmBot)
Going Foward
Using an open source model for solving issues gives us the benefit of leveraging more minds and ideas than we would otherwise be restricted to by private groups like corporations. These projects demonstrate power of choosing to solve global issues in an open source manner. By selecting the open source methodology for projects we can help create solutions with a focus towards renewable resources, achieve solutions faster and more efficiently, all while working locally but collaborating globally. Making a difference starts with you; get involved, find a project you care about that also embraces the open source model like the ones above, or if an issue you are passionate about doesn’t currently have an open source project committed to finding a solution – start one. Open source isn’t just for software anymore, its application and malleability allow it to work just about anywhere. Let’s level the playing field for everyone by fostering more endeavors using the ideas behind open source for free, collaborative and community focused work.
Works Cited
FarmBit.io. FarmBot Entry for the Hackaday Prize Finals Round. 25 October 2015. Video. 15 April 2016.
FarmBot. FarmBot. 15 April 2016. Web. 15 April 2016.
Hakkens, Dave. YouTube. 24 March 2016. Video. 15 April 2016.
Open Source Ecology. About. 15 April 2016. Web. 15 April 2016.
Precious Plastic. Precious Plastic. 15 April 2016. Web. 15 April 2016.
Saxon, Isaiah. Global Village Construction Set in 2 Minutes. 2010. Video. 15 April 2016.
Ted. Alastair Parvin: Architecture for the people by the people. 23 May 2013. Video. 15 April 2016.
—. Jay Bradner: Open-source cancer research. 27 October 2011. Video. 15 April 2016.
WikiHouse. wikihouse. 15 April 2016. Web. 15 April 2016.