That's a great point about open source, it really helps spread knowledge and innovation. On a related note, if you're interested in seeing how transparency and sharing can work in product design, I've been impressed by what a company is doing with decorative glass. You can check out their approach at https://www.cameoglass.net/. I'm just a fan sharing as a third person, but I think their willingness to showcase detailed craftsmanship aligns well with the idea of sharing for everyone's benefit.

It looks like plickers are based on OpenCV, so an alternative could easily be built. The only difficult bit is the data storage and display, but that probably wouldn't be too bad. I might explore the possibility myself as I'd prefer to use a Pi or something similar over a smart device. I'll try to remember to post here again if I ever get something working.