Compatibility between Open Modular Systems

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Discussion

Kris De Decker:

"While it is still in an experimental phase, OpenStructures is by far the most ambitious and complete open modular system designed to date. However, being a European project, it follows the international metric system, while the much older Grid Beam follows the imperial system. The systems are not compatible. With more and more open modular systems appearing, would it not be important to provide inter-compatibility between them?

Lommée doesn't think so: "Most of these systems are designed for different applications. For instance, Contraptor aims at precision, because the parts are used to build robots and other sophisticated machines. Esthetics are clearly not important. I am a designer, so what interests me especially is whether or not a modular system can generate beautiful objects, things you would want to put in your interior. There is also Wikispeed, for instance, which concentrates on the development of a modular car. Arduino is aimed at electronics. I don't think that all of these modular systems have to be compatible with each other because the applications are very different.

He goes on to explain why he chose the metric system. "I have been doubting a lot about this. But in the end I decided that the metric system is easier to work with. And I think the world is big enough for two systems -- just look at the variety of energy standards which are in use. Somebody has developed a European version of Contraptor, based on the metric system and compatible with the OS grid. And it is always possible to design a coupling between two systems, so that they can be used together. On the other hand, we live in a networked world where everything is connected and copied. This often means that when standards compete, only one survives. And this is not necessarily the best one. I'll keep my fingers crossed." (http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2012/12/how-to-make-everything-ourselves-open-modular-hardware.html)

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