Open-source hardware
Open-source software has been common in neuroscience for decades. Free programming environments (Eclipse, EMACS, Visual Studio Express, ImageJ, etc.), closed-loop electrophysiology tools (e.g., RELACS, BioSig), and code repositories (SourceForge, Google Code) help make the software development and experimentation process more efficient and powerful. More recently, open-source hardware has become prevalent (e.g., the Open Prosthetics Google group; Thompson, 2008). Free, high-quality circuit design tools abound (e.g., ExpressPCB, PCB123, Eagle) and even circuit assembly can be automated at low cost (e.g., Screaming Circuits, Advanced Assembly). Having open-source circuitry with free software editors means the designs can be readily exchanged between researchers, and modifications quickly implemented, even by labs not skilled in electronics fabrication.
Although the NeuroRighter system currently uses some commercial components (as described above), it relies heavily on the open-source model. Our code is distributed via Google Groups and Google Code under the GNU Public License1 and all hardware designs under the Creative Commons License2. It is our hope that other scientists can benefit by using our system, by enhancing it, or by borrowing pieces for their own improved systems.