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Update 2021-09-12: For LCA2022, the OHMC team is building upon last year's "SwagBadge" with a focus on Simple Add Ons (SAO), in particular an FPGA + Audio + Theremin SAO and a Party Button SAO.

Through the rest of 2021, this project will be developed in the open: encouraging collaboration and contributions by the LCA2022 attendees.

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The Open Hardware MiniConf is an event that runs as a specialist stream within the linux.conf.au conference. It gives participants an opportunity to learn basic hardware skills such as soldering, by assembling their own electronic project, and then the afternoon is filled with interesting talks about various projects and techniques related to the morning project and to open hardware in general.

The Open Hardware MiniConf began as the Arduino MiniConf in Wellington NZ in 2010 and has run every year since. Although Arduino is still a powerful and popular tool for learning about microcontroller development, the event has now grown in scope to cover broader Open Hardware topics including non-Arduino projects. In 2015, it took on its new identity as the Open Hardware MiniConf to reflect this broader interest.

To give you some idea what to expect, this is the hardware assembly session at the LCA2017 Open Hardware MiniConf:

And before that the LCA2016 Open Hardware MiniConf:

(Photo by Andy Gelme, CC2.0)

After the assembly session is over the room is cleaned up a bit and the talks begin. It's a fun and educational event!

Note: To attend you must first register for the main conference, which provides the venue. The Open Hardware MiniConf is part of LCA as a specialist stream for conference attendees: it's not a stand-alone event. See linux.conf.au for more information.

Registration And Cost

As there is always a hardware build as part of the Open Hardware MiniConf, there is a registration form that needs to be completed, and additional cost for the kit.

As the OHMC is a linux.conf.au miniconference, attendance is free for linux.conf.au delegates, but if you wish to participate in the morning hardware assembly tutorial you will need to pre-register and purchase a kit. Space is limited so get in fast!

If you just want to come along and watch or attend the talks, you don't need to do anything. If you wish to participate in the hardware assembly tutorial, please submit the registration form.

See Open Hardware MiniConf 2021 for more information.

(Photo by Andy Gelme, CC2.0)

Previous Events

• Open Hardware MiniConf 2022 - SwagBadge + SAO:FPGA (Online)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2021 - SwagBadge (Online)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2020 - DingoCar (Gold Coast, Australia)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2019 - DonkeyCar (Christchurch, New Zealand)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2018 - LoliBot (Sydney, Australia)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2017 - IoTuz (Hobart, Australia)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2016 - ESPlant (Geelong, Australia)
• Open Hardware MiniConf 2015 - SimpleBot (Auckland, New Zealand)
• Arduino MiniConf 2014 - ArduPhone (Perth, Australia)
• Arduino MiniConf 2013 - HackCNC (Canberra, Australia)
• Arduino MiniConf 2012 - Pebble V2 + KitTen (Ballarat, Australia)
• Arduino MiniConf 2011 - MobSenDat (Brisbane, Australia)
• Arduino MiniConf 2010 - Pebble V1 (Wellington, New Zealand)