Reference design

A reference design is a finished example of how to put a product together. It lists the parts, how they connect and the software that runs them.

Chip companies use them a lot. Instead of every customer figuring out how to build a robot or a laptop from scratch, they copy the blueprint and change only what they need.

In robotics, a reference design also helps research. If several university labs use the same robot, they can compare results and share skills directly.