requirement_checker.py

def check_requirement(requirement):
    if isinstance(requirement, basestring):
        return requirement is 'None' or requirement in board_configuration

    if isinstance(requirement, dict):
        if requirement.keys()[0] == 'and':
            return all(check_requirement(requirement) for requirement in requirement['and'])
        else:
            return any(check_requirement(requirement) for requirement in requirement['or'])

if __name__ == '__main__':
    board_configuration = [
        'Barometer',
        'Rangefinder'
    ]

    requirement = {
        'and': [
            {
                'or': [
                    'Barometer',
                    'rangefinder'
                ]
            },
            {
                'or': [
                    'barometer',
                    'rangefinder'
                ]
            }
        ]
    }
    
    print check_requirement(requirement)