Based on state-of-the-art, customizable sensors, the solution conforms to well-defined standards to ensure open source compliance
RS Group plc, a global omnichannel provider of product and service solutions, has unveiled its DesignSpark Environmental Sensor Development Kit (ESDK), certified by the Open-Source Hardware Association (OSHWA), a non-profit software advocate. free. Open source hardware is a term for physical objects whose design has been made public for anyone to make, modify, distribute, and use.
OSHWA's objectives are to promote technological knowledge and stimulate research that is accessible, collaborative and respectful of the user's freedom. The OSHWA certification awarded to RS DesignSpark's ESDK kit acknowledges that it meets a well-defined and uniform standard for open source compliance. Certification provides users with the certainty that the definition of "open source hardware" used by a specific project matches the community definition. It also creates a unique, legally binding logo that can only be used by projects that meet the association's definition.
Developed as part of RS DesignSpark's #ActivistEngineering campaign, the ESDK is an advanced, cloud-connected, open source platform that makes it easy to prototype custom sensor-based solutions. DesignSpark is a virtual community for engineers developed by RS that offers a set of design tools, development kits such as the ESDK, extensive libraries of 2D/3D electronic parts, and a wealth of design resources such as technical articles, blueprints, and forums in the community.
Using the ESDK kit has helped DesignSpark members design projects like “Breathe Better Bear" Y "The Good Air Canary«, two projects that have been developed based on the capabilities of the ESDK for the measurement of air quality. The ESDK can also be used in many areas, including a large number of IoT applications that require a small Linux computer with an integrated touch screen and GPS capability.
“Both RS and the DesignSpark team are very pleased to have achieved this OSHWA certification,” said Mike Bray, Vice President of RS DesignSpark. “Our newly certified open source ESDK kit has motivated the DesignSpark community to develop many innovative projects based on air quality measurement around the world. These projects are free to everyone and are designed to help deliver affordable solutions and make the planet more sustainable."
