Open-Source Lab: How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research Costs

by Joshua M. Pearce

Open-Source How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Scientific Research Costs details the development of the free and open-source hardware revolution. The combination of open-source 3D printing and microcontrollers running on free software enables scientists, engineers, and lab personnel in every discipline to develop powerful research tools at unprecedented low costs. After reading Open-Source Lab , you will be able

Genres: Textbooks

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text very nicely explains the why and how of open source technology for the laboratory environment. This book is appropriate for university and high school teachers who want to use 3D printing to design and manufacture their own lab equipment. The real benefit to this is the cost savings, but also the ability to customize equipment to a specific purpose or experiment. The author does a great job of walking the reader through building a 3D printer that can be made of printed parts and shows many examples of printed lab equipment and how to modify these to the reader's specifications. The audience this book is intended for is a more general one, as the author goes through the rationale for 3D printing and open source design. The main thesis for the book is the potential of technology created through open source design to solve real world problems by having people from all over the world continuously improve others' designs. If you are already a 3D printer and open source creator, you may not need this book to spur you on, but for the new maker, this is a great guide and Pearce offers a very readable and engaging introduction to 3D printing for someone who wants to join and take advantage of this revolutionary way of making science more easily accessible for everyone.

[Kieran · Rating 2 out of 5]

Covers open source philosophy, how to build a reprap, and a few designs for lab equipment, however none of things it covers are the best way to learn about those things
I think most people who are looking into open source either know and care about it already or are unlikely to be reading this, that is my experience in my group anyway
There are plenty of reprap tutorials out there, and most unis nowadays already have a 3D printing lab available for use
The designs I guess are nice (I have no real way to evaluate them and I skimmed them), but had no applicability for me (hence the skimming)
The author tells you you can skip each section that isn't applicable to you, but it turned out I could skip pretty much all of them, because none of them were applicable to me
I'm just not really sure who exactly this is for that wouldn't be better served by another resource somewhere else

[Aleksandar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only now with the coronavirus epidemic are we beginning to understand the importance of DIY medical and laboratory equipment; it can save lives, advance science, and contribute towards a greater chance for equality for underprivileged people, who can't afford access to expensive equipment but must compete for a place under the sun with more privileges and better funded researchers. This is especially vital in developing countries, where a paper microscope and centrifuge can literally save lives; and in the lab of the average, university trying to make progress in important, but underfunded areas having a 3d printer to lower project costs can help advance knowledge and prevent the delay many important experimental studies face.

[Xekah]

good

[Matthew Harbowy · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the preview, I purchased the full book on the hopes that this would be more instructive. In fact, the bulk of the book appears to be somewhat recycled content, including a bulky chapter on how to assemble a reprap. It is nice having this content in one place so that you don't have to go hunting about for this info. On the other hand, a single page HTML summary with links to all of the included open source content might have been just as useful and not been close to $40, especially in ePub. This is at most a $10 book, and if you are considering purchasing, wait until it is discounted to that level.

The author might have been better served writing a Forrest Mims style notebook, three hole punched, that doubled as a note taking device.

[Vady · Rating 5 out of 5]

The open source way is going to take over scientific equipment - I can tell you that if you work in a lab everything costs so much it is as if it was made from gold. The idea of sharing digital files and just printing out lab tools for pennies is brilliant!! Great book!

[J.J. Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource

Provides a solid introduction to affordable 3D printer built lab equipment for beginner to advanced makers and DIYers. Good insight into the next tech revolution!