Calls for papers

 

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development

 

Special Issue on: "Open Source Appropriate Technology"

Guest Editor:
Joshua M. Pearce, Michigan Technological University, USA

Open source appropriate technology (OSAT) refers to technologies that are designed in the same fashion as free and open-source software. These technologies must be "appropriate technology" for sustainable development – meaning technology that meets human needs while indefinitely preserving the life support systems of the planet, and which is designed with special consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political and economic aspects of the community for which it is intended.

It has been claimed that the potential for OSAT to drive sustainable development is enormous because open source is a development method that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process, so innovations can be shared freely throughout the globe. OSAT is growing rapidly as the ability of the Internet to leverage collaboration and Web2.0/P2P tools, such as the wiki Appropedia.org, has grown in sophistication and number of users.

The main aim of this special issue is to analyse the current state of open source appropriate technology. The issue will investigate the technologies that support OSAT, the networks of individuals, communities, NPOs and companies that use it, the educational opportunities that it presents, and methods to further enhance sustainable development using OSAT.

Subject Coverage
Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

• Open source appropriate technology (OSAT) design, testing, deployment and uptake
• Open source methodologies applied to sustainable development, global health and environmental issues
• OSAT technology transfer: models of transfer, linkage policy, end user principal consideration, barriers, appropriateness, break through, funding, timing, etc.
• OSAT management
• OSAT technical change
• OSAT innovation and diffusion
• Best practice in the promotion of OSAT
• Educational opportunities and experience utilising OSAT
• Information systems/technology to support OSAT
• Research and development and OSAT
• OSAT project management
• OSAT adoption constraints in developing countries
• Applications of OSAT to meet UN millennium development goals
• Impact of finance and economics on OSAT adoption
• OSAT-related businesses

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. (N.B. Conference papers may only be submitted if the paper was not originally copyrighted and if it has been completely re-written).

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page.

Important Dates

Submission deadline: 1 May, 2012