Enabling Long-tail Hardware: Bringing reproducibility to low volume device manufacture

Citizen developers are becoming empowered to design new hardware solutions ranging from innovative interactive devices to IoT sensing and control systems. Yet, while there exists a plethora of software-only tools to assist such developers, there are no equivalents for tools which facilitate low volume deployment of novel hardware. This project proposes to create a set of freely available open tools and processes which others can use and build upon, to unlock the long-tail of hardware devices. The research questions this project will cover include better understanding and rectifying needs of key stakeholders in low-volume hardware manufacture, if novel tools can alleviate production risks and how such tools can be realised in the production from prototype of a real-world device produced in low-volumes. The methodology will consist of user research to better isolate the needs of key stakeholders, systems research to iterate and develop novel hardware and software to better support these needs. As well as a detailed case study of a long-tail hardware prototype taken to product using the created tools, as a means of evaluation. Anticipated contributions of this project are open, low-cost, extensible physical test tooling for embedded devices. A set of common design patterns for production test tooling, which can be made publicly available allowing for open access and configuration for specific needs. Integrated software tools capable of identifying which design patterns are applicable for given hardware designs as well as publication of research at relevant conferences and journals where appropriate.