Open Hardware Comes Into Focus
While open source software routinely gets the spotlight for making code freely accessible, open hardware applies the same principle to physical objects. Under the right licenses, hardware developers can share schematics, blueprints, logic designs, and Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings, letting others use and modify those designs. The Open Hardware Association is a good starting point for those new to the concept, and Opensource.com frames it as a set of design principles rather than a specific type of object, meaning it can apply to anything from furniture to robots.
Project Spotlight: Modos Paper Laptop
The standout project this month is Modos, a community and company building digital devices with user well-being in mind. Its first offering, the Modos Paper Laptop, is billed as the world's first E-Ink laptop. It isn't meant to compete with gaming laptops or ultrabooks, but rather to serve users who:
- Suffer from eye strain or fatigue
- Want to work outdoors without sun glare
- Prefer a distraction-free environment for deep work
- Need relief from blue light sensitivity
The device's chassis is designed entirely with FreeCAD, while the printed circuit board (PCB) is built using KiCad. Two additional hardware projects are in development: the Paper Monitor, a standalone E-Ink display, and a Development Board that will let early adopters prototype their own E-Ink applications.
The maintainer's long-term vision is to cultivate an entire ecosystem of E-Ink devices—laptops, monitors, displays, and tablets—bundled with purpose-built software that helps users disengage from constant digital stimulation.
Meet Alexander Soto
Alexander Soto, also known as Flex, leads Modos while working as an Expert-in-Residence at Resilient Coders, a nonprofit coding bootcamp. His interest in technology started with repairing computers alongside his brother, but his professional path has also crossed labor rights organizing, teaching, and a master's degree in Computer Science.
Soto's own struggles with eye strain from long hours at a screen inspired the project. His blog posts document the technical wins and hurdles he has encountered while developing E-Ink hardware.
Getting Involved with Modos
The Modos team is currently working on difficult technical problems, including building an open-source electrophoretic display controller (EPDC), structuring the electronic paper display (EPD) interface, and designing a laptop chassis with a 4:3 aspect ratio. They're also developing native E-Ink applications and low-level drivers, plus Wayland protocol support.
Contributors are needed in several specialties:
- UI/UX designers familiar with EPD design constraints
- Software engineers skilled in Python, Docker, and TypeScript
- Embedded and FPGA developers comfortable with Verilog and common bus architectures
- Mechanical engineers to lead CAD work
The community has set an ambitious goal of getting at least 50,000 people interested in purchasing devices and providing feedback through its Community Pilot Program. Interested users can start by filling out the Community Survey.
Why This Project Matters
Modos stands out because it applies open source principles to make computing accessible to those who struggle with traditional LCDs, such as people with light sensitivity or those who simply want a calmer screen experience. A laptop with an E-Ink display that lets users work outside without fighting glare represents a meaningful shift in device design.
Star Pick: Theater.js
This month's star pick comes from GitHub Star Cassidy Williams, Head of Developer Experience and Education at Remote. Her recommendation is Theater.js, a JavaScript animation library with a GUI that can animate the DOM, WebGL, and any other JavaScript variable.
"Theater lets you make some really cool, high-quality motion graphics, both programmatically and visually! I love how intuitive it is and how open their core team is to talking about their work."
For those interested in contributing, the Theater.js repository hosts the project and its contributing guidelines.
