Start Your Openwater Journey

From first contribution to core team member in 5 simple steps

5 min To First Contribution
100+ Active Developers
24/7 Community Support

Choose Your Path

Select the contribution path that best matches your skills and interests

🔊

Use Open-LIFU

Programmable Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound platform.

  • Programmable, steered LIFU sequences
  • Standalone app — no Python required
  • 3D Slicer extension & Python SDK
  • Sample protocols & database included
Open-LIFU Quick Start →
🩸

Use Open-Motion

Optical blood-flow monitoring for human and animal research.

  • Blood Flow Index (BFI) measurement
  • Blood Volume Index (BVI) measurement
  • BloodFlow desktop app (Windows)
  • Python library for custom analysis
Open-Motion Quick Start →
🔧

Design Hardware

Contribute to open-source device designs

  • PCB design & schematics (Altium)
  • Mechanical CAD (Onshape)
  • Assembly documentation
  • BOM management & sourcing
View Hardware Guide →
🔬

Conduct Research

Collaborate on clinical-research studies and publications

  • Access research platforms
  • Publish open findings
  • Explore funding & grant collaborations
  • Co-author with community
Partner With Us →
🎨

Build Applications

Create tools and extensions for the ecosystem

  • 3D Slicer extensions
  • Data visualization tools
  • Clinical-Research workflows
  • Integration plugins
View Examples →
📚

Improve Docs

Help others learn with better documentation

  • Write tutorials
  • Create examples
  • Fix errors & typos
  • Translate content
Start Writing →

Contributor Onboarding

Three steps to your first merged PR. Install steps live with the device — pick yours in step 2.

Join the community on Discord

Connect with developers, researchers, and clinicians building open-source medical devices. Introduce yourself in #introductions — we read every one.

Channels worth pinning:

  • #general — community discussions
  • #help — fastest path to unstuck
  • #showcase — share what you're building
  • #opportunities — funded work & collaborations, when available
Join Discord →

Pick your device & run the quick start

Install steps, smoke tests, and gotchas live in one place per device. Pick whichever you're working with today — you can always come back for the other.

🔊 Open-LIFU Quick Start → 🩸 Open-Motion Quick Start →

Not sure yet? Open-LIFU = programmable focused ultrasound. Open-Motion = optical blood-flow monitoring. Both are research-use only.

Sign the CLA & open your first PR

Once you have the code running, the contribution loop is the same across every Openwater repo: fork, branch, commit, PR. Your first PR triggers an automated Contributor License Agreement signature — under 2 minutes, fully online.

The universal loop:

git checkout -b fix/short-description # make your change git add . git commit -m "Docs: clarify install warning" git push origin fix/short-description # then open a PR on GitHub

What happens next:

  • Automated tests run on your PR
  • CLA signature prompt (one-time, automated)
  • Maintainer review within 48 hours
  • Merge & celebration 🎉
Open-LIFU Good First Issues → Open-Motion Good First Issues →

Hardware Contribution Guide

Contribute to open-source medical device designs

Tools You'll Need

Get started with free and open-source tools for hardware design.

Essential Software:

  • Altium - PCB design & schematics (free & open-source)
  • Onshape - Mechanical CAD modeling
  • Git/GitHub Desktop - Version control for hardware files
  • PDF Reader - For datasheets and specifications

Helpful Equipment:

  • Multimeter for testing circuits
  • Soldering iron (optional for physical prototyping)
  • 3D printer access (optional, many libraries offer this)

Hardware Repositories

Explore our open-source hardware designs.

Active Hardware Projects:

opw_neuromod_hw - Neuromodulation hardware designs

opw_ustx - Ultrasound transmit module

motion-sensor-fw - Motion sensor hardware

OpenLIFU-hardware - Core LIFU device designs

View Hardware Repos →

Types of Hardware Contributions

PCB Design:

  • Schematic capture in Altium
  • PCB layout and routing
  • Component selection and BOM
  • Signal integrity analysis

Mechanical Design:

  • 3D CAD models in Onshape (STEP files)
  • Enclosures and mounting brackets
  • Thermal management designs
  • Cable management solutions

Documentation:

  • Assembly instructions with photos
  • Bill of Materials (BOM) with part numbers
  • Sourcing guides (Digi-Key, Mouser links)
  • Testing and validation procedures

First Hardware Contribution

Start with a hardware "good first issue" - these are beginner-friendly tasks.

Good First Hardware Tasks:

Update BOM - Add current part numbers and pricing

Improve Assembly Docs - Add photos or clarify steps

Create 3D Printable Jig - Design fixtures for assembly

Document Test Procedure - Write step-by-step testing guides

Browse Hardware Issues →

Community Onboarding Checklist

Complete these steps to become a fully integrated community member

☑️

Join Discord Server

Connect with the community and introduce yourself in #introductions

⭐

Star OpenLIFU-python on GitHub

Show your support and get notifications about new releases

📝

Sign the Contributor License Agreement (CLA)

Required for all contributions - quick automated process

💻

Set Up Development Environment

Docker or local setup - verify with pytest

👋

Complete "Hello World" Tutorial

Run your first OpenLIFU simulation in 5 minutes

🎤

Introduce Yourself in Discord

Share your background, interests, and what you'd like to work on

📅

Attend Community Office Hours

Weekly calls every Wednesday at 2pm PT - meet the team

📧

Subscribe to Monthly Newsletter

Stay updated on community news, opportunities, and events

Video Walkthrough

Watch our 10-minute guide to making your first contribution

▶️

From Zero to First Pull Request

A complete walkthrough of setting up your environment, finding an issue, and submitting your first PR

Watch on YouTube →

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know to get started

Do I need medical device experience to contribute?
Not at all! While medical device knowledge is helpful, many contributions don't require it. We have "good first issue" tags specifically for newcomers, covering documentation, testing, and general software development. Our community is here to help you learn.
Do I need to build physical hardware to contribute?
Not necessarily! Many hardware contributions are design files (CAD, schematics) that can be done digitally. Physical prototyping is encouraged but not required. You can contribute PCB designs, mechanical CAD models, documentation, and BOM updates without building anything physical.
What CAD software should I use?
We primarily use Altium for PCB design (open-source and free) and accept any 3D CAD format that can export to STEP files. We use Onshape, but we accept popular choices like FreeCAD (open-source), Fusion 360 (free for hobbyists), and SolidWorks (if you have access). The key is being able to share files in open formats.
How long does it take to get my PR reviewed?
Most pull requests receive an initial review within 48 hours. Complex PRs may take longer, but we always acknowledge submissions quickly. If you haven't heard back in 3 days, feel free to ping in Discord.
What is the CLA and why do I need to sign it?
The Contributor License Agreement (CLA) ensures that your contributions can be used in the open-source project while protecting both you and Openwater legally. It's a standard practice in open-source projects. The process is automated and takes less than 2 minutes.
Can I earn money contributing to Openwater?
Sometimes. Openwater occasionally funds specific work through bounties on individual issues and larger grants for research collaborations, but availability varies and there is no standing program you can apply to at any time. When funding is open, we post it in the Discord #opportunities channel with the scope and terms. If you have a project in mind and want to know whether funding might be possible, email community@openwater.health — most contributors work with us unpaid, and that is the norm rather than the exception.
What programming languages do I need to know?
Primary languages are Python and C++, but we also have Kotlin (Android apps), JavaScript (web interfaces), and documentation work that requires no coding. Start with whatever language you're comfortable with.
Where can I get help if I'm stuck?
Multiple support channels: Discord #help channel (fastest response), GitHub issues, weekly office hours, and email support. Our community is very responsive and welcoming to newcomers.

Ready to Start Contributing?

Choose how you'd like to get started today

View Developer Resources Schedule 1:1 Onboarding Call Join Discord

Have questions? Email us at community@openwater.health