OpenwaterHealth · dblizinski · Jun 9, 2026
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+# Contributing to Open-LIFU
+
+Open-LIFU is built in the open and welcomes contributions from researchers,
+developers, and clinicians. This page is the developer-facing summary for the
+software repo (`opw_neuromod_sw`); for the full org-wide policy see the
+[Openwater Contributing Guide](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).
+
+## Code of Conduct
+
+Please read our
+[Code of Conduct](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/.github/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
+before contributing. We believe in a respectful and collaborative environment;
+the Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all participants.
+
+## Contribute without a unit
+
+You do not need an Openwater device to contribute. Most of our community will
+never receive a physical unit, and that's fine — the work that moves the
+platform forward happens in code, documentation, quality, research methodology,
+and clinical workflow design. We call this the **Contribute Without a Unit**
+track. The live version with featured good-first-issues and lane contacts is
+at the
+[community hub](https://openwaterhealth.github.io/openwater-community/#contribute-without-a-unit).
+
+### Five lanes
+
+Pick the lane that fits the work you want to do, not the role you happen to
+hold. Tags reflect best fit, not exclusivity.
+
+- **Code** *(Best for: Developers)* — Python, Slicer extension, and tooling
+  improvements against simulators and fixtures. The MATLAB-to-Python migration
+  is the highest-leverage place to start.
+  Contact: <community@openwater.health>
+- **Documentation** *(Best for: All roles)* — Make the platform legible to the
+  next contributor. Tutorials, glossaries, API docs, translations.
+  Contact: <community@openwater.health>
+- **Quality** *(Best for: Developers)* — Triage, reproduction, accessibility,
+  CI. The work that keeps the platform trustworthy as the community grows.
+  Contact: <community@openwater.health>
+- **Research** *(Best for: Researchers)* — Literature synthesis, schemas,
+  methodology, RFCs. Especially good for grad students new to focused
+  ultrasound.
+  Contact: <community@openwater.health>
+- **Clinical** *(Best for: Clinicians)* — IRB templates, plain-language
+  summaries, safety reporting, protocol refinement. The bridge between bench
+  and clinic.
+  Contact: <community@openwater.health>
+
+### Filter open issues by lane
+
+- [All good-first-issues](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22)
+- [Code](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22lane%3Acode%22)
+- [Documentation](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22lane%3Adocs%22)
+- [Quality](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22lane%3Aquality%22)
+- [Research](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22lane%3Aresearch%22)
+- [Clinical](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22lane%3Aclinical%22)
+
+## Getting started
+
+1. **Fork the repository.** Fork `opw_neuromod_sw` to your GitHub account.
+2. **Set up your environment.** Follow `README.md` for the canonical setup
+   steps. Target is Python 3.10+. The active development branch for the
+   migration work is `python-migration`.
+3. **For Slicer extension work,** see the
+   [Slicer developer documentation](https://slicer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/developer_guide/extensions.html);
+   the Code lane lead will point you at the right branch.
+4. **For Documentation, Research, and Clinical lane work,** no local
+   environment setup is required — you can edit on the wiki directly or open
+   documentation PRs from a fork.
+
+## State of the project
+
+A few specifics worth knowing before you start:
+
+- We are actively migrating Open-LIFU's software stack from MATLAB to Python.
+  Many utilities still have MATLAB originals; ports to Python are the most
+  impactful Code-lane work right now.
+- The current platform uses Verasonics Vantage 128 for treatment delivery and
+  Localite TMSNavigator for neuronavigation. The next generation will use
+  fully open-source, miniaturized hardware.
+- A 3D Slicer extension provides an advanced user interface to Open-LIFU
+  features.
+- Hardware manuals, mechanical drawings, and 3D models live in
+  [`opw_neuromod_hw`](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_hw).
+
+## Making contributions
+
+For the full contribution workflow (forking, branching, commit conventions,
+style guides), see the
+[org-wide Contributing Guide](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#-contribution-workflow).
+Repo-specific notes below.
+
+### Issues
+
+- **Search first.** Before creating a new issue, please check whether the
+  issue already exists to avoid duplicates.
+- **Be specific.** When creating an issue, provide a clear and detailed
+  description, including steps to reproduce, expected vs. observed behavior,
+  Python version, OS, and the commit SHA you tested against.
+- **Claim before working.** Comment "I'd like to work on this" on an open
+  issue before you start. We'll assign it. If you don't see an issue for the
+  work you want to do, open one first and propose your approach.
+
+### Pull requests
+
+- **Branching.** Branch off `main` unless the work targets the active
+  migration — issues will tell you when to target `python-migration` instead.
+- **Style.** Python code is formatted with `black` and linted with `ruff`.
+  Run both before opening the PR.
+- **Tests.** New code wants new tests. Run `pytest` locally and confirm
+  green before requesting review.
+- **Description.** Link the issue (`Closes #123`), summarize what changed,
+  call out any decisions you made that a reviewer might second-guess.
+- **Draft early.** Open a draft PR as soon as you have something to show.
+  It's easier to catch direction problems before you've written a thousand
+  lines.
+
+## Regulatory note
+
+Open-LIFU is exclusively intended for research purposes and is not cleared or
+approved by the FDA for clinical use. If your contribution touches anything
+that could be read as a clinical claim — a documentation change, a parameter
+description, a summary of trial results — please include or preserve the
+short-form disclaimer:
+
+> Openwater's platform is exclusively intended for research purposes and is
+> not cleared or approved by the FDA for clinical use.
+
+We will flag this in review if it's missing.
+
+## License and CLA
+
+This repository is currently licensed under **AGPL v3.0**. We are planning a
+transition to **Apache 2.0** to support broader adoption. All contributions
+are made under our Contributor License Agreement — see the
+[org-wide CLA section](https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md#-contributor-license-agreement-cla)
+for details.
+
+## Asking for help
+
+If you need help or have questions, reach out through:
+
+- **Discord** —
+  [discord.gg/openwater](https://discord.gg/openwater), specifically the
+  `#contributing` channel
+- **GitHub** — open a Discussion or Issue in this repo
+- **Email** —
+  [community@openwater.health](mailto:community@openwater.health)
+- **Office hours** — Weekly on Discord; see the
+  [community hub](https://openwaterhealth.github.io/openwater-community/)
+  for the next session
+
+## The Openwater community
+
+Have a question, found a bug, or want to connect and get involved with the
+broader Openwater community? Visit the community hub at
+[openwaterhealth.github.io/openwater-community](https://openwaterhealth.github.io/openwater-community/),
+or join the [Discord server](https://discord.gg/openwater) to connect with
+other members, ask for help, and stay updated on project developments.
+
+---
+
+*Last updated: 2026-06-08. If you spot something stale or wrong in this file,
+that's a Documentation-lane contribution — open a PR.*