Hardware | Aims and Scope Update

Aims (new version):

Aims (old version):

Hardware (ISSN 2813-6640) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing articles detailing the construction of a broad range of primarily scientific and laboratory instrumentation, devices and equipment. It is a platform for the dissemination of novel open-source hardware designs. Hardware publishes research papers, reviews, and tutorials, and may also consider other article types as well as Special Issues on particular subjects.
The aim of Hardware is to provide a means to share the designs of instruments and devices in the spirit of open-source hardware. It is therefore expected that the authors facilitate reproduction of the devices by the readers as much as possible. It is thus required that any design files employed in the construction are made available in the original editable source format in an open license to allow duplication of the devices in the original or in modified form. This includes any software required to operate the devices. To support the dissemination of the hardware details, the articles have a specific format and may be of any length appropriate to the complexity of the subject. A brief demonstration of fitness for the purpose of the device described is to be included.

Hardware (ISSN 2813-6640) is an open access journal publishing articles detailing the construction of a broad range of scientific and laboratory instrumentation, devices and equipment. It is a platform for the dissemination of open source hardware designs. Hardware publishes regular papers, review articles and tutorials as well as Special Issues on particular subjects.
The aim of Hardware is to provide a means to share the designs of instruments and devices, and therefore requires that any design files employed in the construction of the devices are made available in the original editable source format in an open license as supplementary information. This includes any software required to operate the devices. To support the dissemination of the hardware details, the articles have a specific format and may be of any length appropriate to the complexity of the subject. A brief demonstration of fitness for the purpose of the device described is to be included.

Scope (new version):

Scope (old version):

The scope of Hardware includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• Laboratory and Analytical Instrumentation
• Measuring devices and instruments;
• Instruments for chemical analysis;
• Optical instruments (e.g., spectrometers, microscopes, optomechanical systems);
• Sample handling and fluidic control systems;
• Custom laboratory equipment and tools;
• Positioners and micromanipulators.
• Environmental, Field and Agricultural Hardware
• Ruggedized and field-portable instruments;
• Aerial drones and remote sensing platforms;
• Ecology tracking, wildlife telemetry loggers, and agricultural monitoring devices.
• Sensors, Electronics and Data Acquisition Systems
• Physical, chemical, and biological sensors and actuators;
• Custom electronic data acquisition (DAQ) systems;
• Power monitoring hardware;
• IoT nodes;
• Embedded systems and microcontroller hardware (e.g., ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Arduino applications).
• Additive Manufacturing, Low-Cost Tools and Fabrication
• 3D-printed laboratory devices, customized tooling, and open-source hardware components;
• Low-cost open alternatives to commercial high-cost scientific instruments;
• Equipment for PCB/device assembly and testing.
• Biomedical, Healthcare and Behavioral Equipment
• Biomedical monitoring devices;
• Animal behavior analysis tools;
• Biological cell testing apparatus, and high-throughput diagnostic hardware;
• Safety devices and wearable environmental protection systems.
• Educational Hardware, Modifications and Tutorials
• Devices and interactive hardware platforms designed specifically for STEM education and active learning;
• Hardware, software, and firmware modifications that extend or adapt existing commercial hardware;
• Comprehensive reviews on open-source hardware developments and step-by-step tutorials (e.g., circuit design, advanced 3D printing techniques).

The subject areas include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Measuring devices;
• Analytical instruments;
• Field portable instruments;
• Process instrumentation;
• Electronic data acquisition;
• Adaptations of existing instruments;
• Software to modify the performance of existing commercial hardware devices;
• Low-cost alternatives;
• Optical instruments;
• Sensors and actuators;
• Laboratory equipment for sample handling;
• 3D-printed devices;
• Specially made tools for the laboratory;
• Specially made tools for building devices and instruments, and programming of electronic hardware;
• Safety devices.