My research involves co-developing open-source scientific and medical hardware with partners in Africa and the wider Global South. Open-source hardware is generally much cheaper than proprietary alternatives, but the benefits go far beyond simple cost reduction. Open-source hardware fosters collaborations as new technologies are not locked away from the innovators who need them. It also protects users from vendor lock-in and expensive service contracts by helping local innovators to build, repair, and improve equipment.

I work with Dr Richard Bowman on the OpenFlexure Microscope. An open-source 3D-printed laboratory-grade robotic microscope. We collaborate with a BTech a Tanzanian manufacturer, and with Ifakara Health Institute. We are collecting the clinical evidence that the microscope is effective for malaria diagnosis, and working towards local manufacturing of the microscope for medical use.

I am also interested in the wider ecosystem needed to support open hardware and local manufacturing in the Global South. This includes improved tools for open hardware collaboration and documentation, and the quality control needed for effective production.