Technology Innovation worked with Arctic Automate to refine the design and prototype an open source, cold climate tractor, the NorTrackTor. This prototype tractor was used to assess the potential for open source designs to provide cost effective solutions for northern agricultural needs and provide a platform upon which future developments of northern farming technologies can be researched, innovated and commercialized.
Open Source is a model of providing goods and services which include the possibility of the end-user’s participation in the production of these goods and services. The goal of open source is to accelerate and scale innovation. Open source development encourages modular scalable design that breaks down cost barriers. The model has already been demonstrated in the software industry and is making inroads into hardware.
Open Source Ecology is a US based not for profit that is bringing open source development to the agricultural industry. Their mission is to facilitate the design and development of open source, modular, DIY, low-cost, high-performance agricultural machines that can be made at a fraction of commercial costs.The designs of these machines are shared online for free to accelerate further design innovation, customization and refinement. The Open Source Ecology tractor design was the basis for the NorTrakTor.
- Technology Innovation Officer, Yukon Research Center
- Tom Bamford, Arctic Automate