The development of open science hardware technology, as an alternative to proprietary ‘black box’ instrumentation, is growing in scientific communities in the US and globally. In particular, the growth of open science hardware in grassroots and academic spaces is fostering a community of engaged practitioners and researchers; yet, open science hardware lacks the institutional recognition necessary to drive lasting change.
As the Open Science Hardware Foundation, we work with institutions, funders and policy makers to bring open science hardware into the mainstream as a key component of open science. To do so, we have identified several factors that require focused attention:
- Institutional embedding: fostering leadership in open source technologies, including hardware, at funder, institution, and research group levels.
- Standards at the digital-physical interface: lessons from open data, open source, and open “artificial intelligence” (AI) to create interoperable open science hardware and FAIR data generation.
- Economics of open science hardware: sustainable economic models for OScH with value for money, and procurement practices as a driver for adoption of open source hardware in science.
- Ecosystem building: understanding the role of open science hardware in the science landscape as a complement to open data, open source software and other elements of open science.
To drive advancement in these areas, the Open Science Hardware Foundation plans to prioritize initial programming that supports research fellows, an open science hardware resource library,a field-defining workshop, the development of case studies, and the expansion of fiscal sponsorship for emerging tools and projects.
Research Fellows
The Gathering For Open Science Hardware’s Global Open Science Hardware Roadmap and the Research and Policy Workshops hosted by the Gathering for Open Science Hardware and the Open Science Hardware Foundation in 2021 identified and described a range of goals and open research questions related to the role of open science hardware in the science ecosystem. Research fellows, hosted both within and outside academia, can drive remaining questions forward.
Open Science Hardware Resource Library
Building capacity for open science hardware in institutions requires resources tailored to specific audiences, such as University Technology Transfer Offices, Funder Program Officers, or Open Source Program Offices. Some of these resources exist, and others will continue to be developed (such as by the research fellows supported by OSHF). A resource library will collate and curate these materials and others from independent sources and make them more widely available.
Workshop on “Understanding and Advancing Enabling Ecosystems for Open Science Hardware”
A three-day meeting will prioritize lines of inquiry, formulate interventions, and identify missing tooling or data frameworks that could be catalytic in the open science hardware space. This workshop is targeted to convene academics, policy makers and institutions.
Supporting Open Science Hardware Translation and the Open Science Hardware Enterprise
Many open science hardware projects emerge from academic labs or community projects, and can lack support to transition to self-sustaining initiatives. OSHF will compile case studies for translation of open science hardware projects out of academia and craft a support program.
Fiscal Sponsorship of Open Science Hardware Programs
Often, a missing piece is fiscal sponsorship for organizations developing open science hardware. The Open Science Hardware Foundation provides an organizational home, administrative support, and capacity building to open science hardware projects at all stages of development, and will expand these services to emerging projects and organizations.
