Open Hardware and robotics in Nepal.

What is Open Hardware ? How's a Hardware can be Open ? Why a Hardware should be open ? Where does this topic relates and links us ?
This is too many " wh " questions. Starting with the first question. A definition of Open hardware is the answer. Really, and simply Open Hardware is a white box with electrical/electronics components. You simply know each parts, components and it's functionality. It's hard to make a hardware open like software but with no doubt the second question satifies. Hardware is much more linked with production of components from different companies with big buck of investment for a simple parts. There should be a large research and high investment in component production. Designing a component and producion of such components goes beyond each indivisual. Unlike open source software, open hardware is completely different. Even RMS himself doubts in openhardware. These days circuits are designed for digital life. These digital devices are enough cool to program and work with. Latest innovations on FPGA, PLD & CPLD has given us a more convinient way to program our hardware as needs. Thus it's clear, a hardware can be open like software with these IPcores that works with these latest chips and thus describing Open hardware more related to Open Source Hardware. Residing these latest chips and IPcores, we can define the oldies devices and chips in open hardware with it's documentation, design specification, application notes, and schematics related with components or any module. As stated above, besides RMS doubts, RMS's definition to the Open Source Software equally validiates to Open hardware. A user is a consumer, sharing the source is sharing the sheets of hardware, and ofcourse quality is the open knowledge regarding the development of a hardware module with in consumers worldwide. There are various example and big projects rounding with in us for Open Hardware. opencores.org has a lot of references and projects hosted. openmoko, olpc XO are the another hot discussed open hardware stuffs. There is still a lot to be done with open hardware fields regarding philoshopy, licensing, ethics, community, production, quality etc.

We have a very short history regarding robotics in Nepal. Pulchok engineering college can be considered as the pioneer of the robotics in Nepal. Though we hear different news regarding robotics from individuals and school students, we don't have any measurement and tracking. Many robotics groups are formed in different engineering college throught out the valley. Each year, Pulchok is organizing competetions with labeled topic among the colleges with hope that robotics will go better tomorrow and we'll have our own manpower for country. There is also a good recognition for robotics from Nepal through out the Asian region. We can even be more better than this.
Now with concept of open hardware we want to share knowledge and focuses on implementation in robotics. We want such more competetions. we want innovations and ideas. Thus the discussion on SFD08' on above topic was to appeal among engineering students and each individuals to promote concept of Open hardware ( sharing knowledge) and implementation ( robotics in Nepal ). We even noticed a lack of forum. We even lacked a log from peoples besides college.we lacked regards and credits. Now with these we are lacking manpower for country. we lacked a lot. So let's get unite. let's get shared. let's feel something with in us. Let's groove and discuss on this matter. I hope FOSS Mailing list can be used for this purpose. you can put your discussion and views so we can be able to create a channel and succeed on.