by Carpentier P. International Journal of the Commons 2021;15(1)154–169. doi: 10.5334/ijc.1081
Summary: The very high price of portable ultrasound scanners available on the market is a barrier to access. This paper investigates an Open-Source Hardware (OSH) community that is designing an affordable portable ultrasound scanner for use in low and middle-income countries. Unlike typical knowledge common outcomes, an ultrasound probe is a physical object subject to industry regulation; this brings social dilemmas that the community must overcome. Temporary privatization of the knowledge common may be used to protect and sustain a common during the industrialization phase. A portfolio of projects is an effective and resilient way to help the common survive this privatization step.
