A cadre of hardware developers is trying to bring concepts from the open-source software world to the hardware business.
Engineers around the world, connected via the Internet, are seeking
to develop a vast library of freely available hardware designs, similar to
how Linux developers and other open-source programmers share intellectual
property.
This open-source hardware library--consisting of design elements for
processors, memory controllers, peripherals, motherboards and a host of
other components--would aide semiconductor start-ups and device manufacturers
alike. Instead of investing millions in basic and sometimes redundant design
work, companies would be able to tap the library for the know-how they need,
licensing designs for chips and other technology for free.
At the same time, selecting well-designed open-source hardware has the
potential to speed development of computing devices, ranging
from set-top boxes to network switches.
"I started investigating open-source hardware when I was a student in
the late '90s," Jamil Khatib, an open-source hardware designer and
unofficial evangelist for open-source hardware group OpenCores, said in an
e-mail interview. "I was wondering why there (was) not open-source hardware,
like open-source software, so I started publishing my designs on the Web.
"The open source (process), in general, is the result of contributions from
many people around the world about specific design that is open for anyone
to contribute (to) and review."
No free chip
But choosing to go the open-source hardware route is not as simple as
downloading and installing a copy of Linux. Companies using open-source
designs still need to integrate the open-source elements into final device
designs. This could prove to be a frustrating and costly effort, with no one
available to provide direct support for an open-source technology. Potential
patent issues also loom.
"You see, hardware can never be really free," said Rudolf Usselmann, a chip
designer and active participant in OpenCores. "However, we hope for some
cheaper and better-quality hardware. Just look at the unit price of an Intel
Pentium chip."
To get around the manufacturing issue, the open-source community is seeking
agreements with companies such as Flextronics, which provides chip
manufacturing, engineering and design services.
Ultimately, the open-source hardware community would like to create a
library so vast that companies could use it to build devices based entirely
on open-source designs. But that will take some time.
United by the Net
Open-source hardware owes its life to a number of individuals who, above all
else, think it's fun to design chips and other hardware. The leaders of the
movement congregate and share their ideas at focal points on the Internet,
such as the OpenCores Web site.
One of the most important efforts now under way is an effort to develop the
next OpenRISC processor. The processor--which could be used in Web
appliances, factory machines and other Internet-connected devices--is based
on a RISC (reduced
instruction set) processor core now available as an open-source design.
OpenCores plans to integrate a memory controller and a USB controller, among
other items, with the new OpenRISC chip.
"Big companies spend a lot of money on engineering, not always working very
efficiently," Usselmann said. "In the OpenCores community, we the techies
know what we want and we know it best."
The group is moving to design its next OpenRISC processor with new
system-on-a-chip capabilities. A system-on-a-chip (SOC) processor puts a
processor core and all the peripheral functions necessary to run a certain
hardware device on a single chip. SOC chips are generally used in devices
such as set-top boxes, Internet appliances and even some PCs. The new chip
would compete with offerings from traditional chipmakers, including National
Semiconductor, IBM and even Transmeta, itself an open-source software
participant.
Developers, including some working on the new chip, got into open-source
hardware for fun. But they quickly became vocal proponents for the
open-source way of working.
Other members happened on the OpenCore site by chance and signed on.
"Basically I was getting bored," Usselmann said. "I needed something to keep
the gray matter going. By accident I came across the OpenCores Web page, and
joined in.
"It started as an exercise and to have something to do besides enjoying
life. It evolved into lots of fun little projects, without management
breathing down your neck, producing cores that people actually find useful."
Now Usselmann is working to help design the OpenRISC chip and also to help
arrange sponsorships for OpenCores projects, both in the form of procuring
needed development tools and securing support from contract chip
manufacturers, he said.
Growing library
With new system-on-a-chip designs in the works, along with efforts to
create memory controllers, DSP chips and even motherboards, the wealth of
technology available at OpenCores promises to snowball.
Usselmann alone has posted a number of designs.
"So far they have been mostly simple little projects, my current one (the
USB 2.0 IP core) is by far the most complex," he said.
Usselmann's PIC clone, a version of a popular RISC microcontroller, has been used in several finished chips "because my design is so
much faster and allows the users to control what kind and how many
peripherals they actually include," he said.
One of the main challenges developers at OpenCores face is that, despite
being able to obtain hardware designs for free, the cost
of integrating those hardware bits into a device is still considerable,
analysts say.
"The big savings would be in licensing fees and royalties on a part, if you
ship significant quantities," said Kevin Krewell, senior analyst at
MicroDesign Resources.
Support network
At the same time, device makers need support in a range of areas when developing their products.
"The hardest part is software support," Krewell said. The
hardware must be made to be compatible with software used in devices.
Despite the potential for new businesses to crop up, it's unlikely
open-source hardware will be as disruptive to hardware makers as open-source
software has been to the software industry and players such as Microsoft.
Established chipmakers such as Intel and IBM might not be directly
challenged by open-source hardware because their technology, such as Intel's
X86 processor architecture, is protected by a number of closely held
patents.
It is possible to create an open-source X86 chip, but without a license for
the technology, "I don't think anyone could hit the open-source world with
X86 and survive Intel," Krewell said.
OpenCores engineers seem unconcerned with competition, however.
"We can combine the know-how from all over the world and build and improve
on technologies and products," Usselmann said. "I'm certain that it will
become a big success. As we develop more and more cores and address
different areas of applications, people are starting to pay more attention
to us and what we are doing."
Usselmann added that dislodging established chipmakers isn't really the
point for open-source hardware. "Just like Intel and
AMD can coexist, we can coexist with the big players. We do not
intend to compete with the Suns and Ciscos out there."
But established players would be wise to pay attention to this new hardware-development trend, Khatib said.
"The open-source hardware trend will not compete with such companies, but
they may need to change their strategies," he said.
When you offer "more options to companies in how they approach the
market, that's a good thing," Krewell said.