OSHWA certified environmental sensor development suite

     RS Group plc has announced that its DesignSpark environmental sensor development kit has been certified by OSHWA(Open Source Hardware Association). OSHWA's goal is to foster technical knowledge and promote research that is accessible, collaborative, and respectful of user freedom. The OSHWA certification granted to the RS DesignSpark Toolkit recognizes that it meets uniform and well-defined standards for open source compliance.

     This certification informs users that the definition of "open source hardware" used by a particular project matches the community definition of open source hardware. It also creates a legally binding and unique identifier that can only be used by projects that meet the community definition. As part of the organization's # Actionable Engineering campaign, the toolkit is an advanced open source and cloud-connected platform that directly creates prototypes of custom sensor-based solutions.

     Using the suite, DesignSpark members developed projects such as "Better Breathing Bear" and "Good Air Canary," two typical projects that were developed based on the suite's air quality measurement capabilities. The suite can also be deployed in a variety of scenarios, including many Internet of Things applications that require small Linux computers with integrated touch screens and GPS capabilities.

     "RS and the DesignSpark team are delighted to receive the OSHWA certification," said Mike Bray, DesignSpark vice President at RS. "Our newly certified open source ESDK has inspired the DesignSpark community to develop many innovative projects based on global air quality measurement. These programs are free to all and are designed to help provide affordable solutions to make the planet more sustainable."