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GizmoForYou Crowdsources Wacky Hardware Ideas

We've written a few times about offbeat hardware ideas that take advantage of collaboration principles from the open source arena. In the links just provided, you'll find open source robots, Linux-based gadgets targeted for outer space, and more. The latest spin on this idea is GizmoForYou. As LinuxDevices notes, the site functions like "Santa's workshop, building devices to order, based on wish list requests from registered members." The gadgets that get built by developers based on community input go up for sale, but there are some core open source principles at work beneath the hood. Here's how it works.

According to GizmoForYou's "How This Works" page:

"It all starts from an idea. For example let's say you have an idea about a device that can switch a Lamp or a Relay ON/OFF by sending it an SMS message or by having a small remote and pressing a button. You register on our website and post a wish on the forum saying "I would like an SMS switch" or "I wish there was a device for switching power ON/OFF by sending an SMS message". You can describe your idea in any way you want. We take a look at your wish and add it to our Project Queue. The Project Queue is defined by the donations made to the specific project. The more money donated to a specific project, the higher it's priority in the Queue."

Developers who work on a hardware idea in the Queue post progress notes, and accept design change suggestions from members. LinuxDevices notes that only a few classes of devices have been created so far (see a few examples below), so GizmoForYou may need time and critical mass to produce really eye-popping devices. Still, I like the idea of open collaboration on wacky hardware ideas, and there are probably a lot of garage tinkerers out there who would like to work on good hardware ideas. I'm going to keep my eye on the inventions.

 

• hardware
• GizmoForYou
• robots

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