Open source isn’t just changing the way we interact with the world, it’s changing the way the world interacts back with us. Case in point: open source robotics.

Hardware projects:

A robot is a physical thing, and therefore, both its code and its hardware are subject to licensing. Fortunately, there are a number of open hardware platforms for getting started with robotics. Here are a few you might want to check out.

Sparki is a complete open source robotics platform in every sense of the word. The schematics, 3D model files, and source code underneath are all open source. Designed to be an affordable introductory robot for students from elementary-age to adult, Sparki comes with a distance sensor, accelerometer, infrared communications, compass, light sensor, line-follower, and more. While Sparki comes on wheels, he has a walking cousin named Hexy the hexapod, a similarly open sourced platform.

Robots don’t just walk; sometimes, they fly. A number of open source drones exist which take advantage of project like OpenPilot or Ardupilot systems. The ArduPilot Copter, for example, can be assembled as a helicopter, quadcopter, or a variety of other configurations, both in a DIY-approach, as well as kits and parts from a number of manufacturers.

Software Projects

LeJOS might be a good robotics software project for beginners to become acquainted with; it’s essentially a drop-in replacement for the firmware which comes with Lego Mindstorms robotics, allowing the used to program their Mindstorms robots easily using the Java programming language.

Rock, the Robot Construction Kit, is a software framework for robotics, based on the Orocos RTT (Real Time Toolkit). Rock is designed to be extensible and includes a number of drivers for existing applications.

more info here: Getting started with open source robotics









