Sen Hastings

Software Developer
Phobos DPL

Why open matters: the cost of transparency in 2023

Open Hardware
Wednesday February 8th, 10:00am-10:35am GMT
Burton/Redgrave, 2nd Floor

sen hastings
Computer hardware, especially embedded computing hardware is becoming ever more prevalent in a our daily lives with the advent of IOT and AI/edge devices.

From smart fridges to cars and industrial automation, security, reliability and supply chain concerns raise serous questions about our ability to maintain the critical hardware in our lives.

Security – is the device vulnerable to attack? Can we verify if a device has been modified or tampered with?

Repairability – can the device be repaired? How difficult or time consuming is the repair?

Cost – is it economical to maintain the device? Are there exclusivity agreements with OEMs preventing end users from buying parts directly?

Transparency – What is the device truly capable of? Is the device being artificially limited for the sake of market segmentation?

This talk aims to highlight current industry practices by exploring various products and their manufacturers approach in regards to these ideals.

Bio

Sen is a “jack-of-all-trades” software developer and longtime linux hobbyist with a focus on embedded linux systems, they are also an active contributor to the buildroot mailing list.

In everything from front/backend web development to init systems, they strive for simplicity and legibility, as they are the primary tools in facilitating open collaboration and development.