Open-source hardware (OSH) consists of physical
artifacts of technology designed and offered by the
open design movement. Both
free and open-source software (FOSS) as well as open-source hardware is created by this
open-source culture movement and applies a like concept to a variety of components. It is sometimes, thus, referred to as
FOSH (free and open source hardware). The term usually means that information about the hardware is easily discerned so that others can make it - coupling it closely to the
maker movement. Hardware design (i.e. mechanical drawings,
schematics,
bills of material,
PCB layout data,
HDL source code and
integrated circuit layout data), in addition to the software that
drives the hardware, are all released under free/
libre terms. The original sharer gains feedback and potentially improvements on the design from the FOSH community. There is now significant evidence that such sharing creates enormous
economic value and can drive a high
return on investment for investors.