MNT Reform
Useful information
- Team members
- Lukas F. Hartmann Ana Dantas Greta Melnik
- Country
- Germany
- Keywords
- Open Source Hardware Privacy Sustainability Laptop Industrial Design DIY Linux Right to Repair Minimalism Security
Short Description
The first european fully open hardware laptop. Focus: simplicity, sustainability, user agency.
Detailed Description
MNT Reform respects its owner's rights. Focus is on simplicity, user agency and reducing attack surface. MNT Reform has neither built-in GPS, Bluetooth nor recording devices. Usability, professional usage and sustainability are primary goals since obsolete parts can be easily replaced by the user. We created a working system which aims to be as open and documented as possible. With faith in the Open Source community, third parties are encouraged to contribute to the development of new modules.
With the question why current computer systems are closed and also not sustainable, Lukas F. Hartmann projected the first idea of Reform. In close collaboration with industrial designer Ana Dantas and under supervision of Head of Quality Greta Melnik, we designed the second version in 2019. Currently, we finalized our Crowd Supply campaign for the first substantial batch production of MNT Reform with a backup of 228%. Starting from July 1st, we will build >180 devices in our workshop in Berlin.
Project Details
- Does your design take social and cultural challenges and human wellbeing into consideration?
We came up with the plan to bring back a computer that you can understand and trust a lot more than the status quo. MNT Reform is designed to be as open and transparent as possible. Privacy and security are a crucial point in a world with antidemocratic movements. MNT Reform uses RISC-based processors and has neither built-in GPS, Bluetooth nor any surveillance technology. A mechanical keyboard and elaborate industrial design provide comfort for professional users.
- Does your design support sustainable production, embodying circular or regenerative design practices?
Mobile personal computers are becoming more and more opaque, vendor controlled, and hard to repair. MNT Reform goes in the opposite direction. It's modularity guarantees the user's Right to Repair and parts can easily be customized or replaced. MNT Reform is way more sustainable than current systems, which have glued in parts and have to be disposed completely if obsolete.
- Does your design use principles of distribution and open source?
MNT Reform is a fully open or documented system. Both hardware and software are designed to support a free and open source software stack from the ground up. It invites you to take a look under the hood, customize the documented electronics, and even repair it yourself if you like. We believe in the Open Source community and encourage third parties to contribute to the development of new modules.
- Does your design promote awareness of responsible design and consumption?
We were inspired by the possibilities of additive manufacturing, small-scale PCB production, and the early open hardware movement, as well as the growing realization that today’s course of producing quickly obsoleted hardware cannot be sustained.
Built not around Intel technology, but NXP i.MX8M with 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores, Reform has a much simpler architecture than conventional laptops. This simplicity also makes for a more pleasant developer experience.
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