- EMC (Enhanced Machine Controller) now supports arbitrary serial kinematics for manipulators with up to 8 rotary or prismatic joints, providing forward/inverse kinematics and Jacobian functions—useful for real robotics hardware, not just simulation.  
- Bullet physics engine’s soft-body dynamics were discussed as a possible route for space-tether simulations, contrasting with EMC’s ability to drive actual machines.  
- W3C’s Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) was highlighted as a new standard for organizing knowledge bases; channel members noted prior mentions and its relevance to semantic-web projects.  
- A script was written to harvest RSS feeds for ~1,800 ScienceDirect journals by exploiting the site’s MD5-authenticated feed URLs, yielding 15 MB of metadata and a browsable index at http://heybryan.org/~bbishop/docs/rss/journals/sciencedirect/.  
- PythonOCC gained Qt4 support, enabling CAD/robotics workflows with modern GUI integration; installation hiccups (missing STEP module) were debugged in real time.  
- Practical lab-inventory debate: members weighed rapid tube-labeling (RhinoPRO 1000 thermal printer vs. handwriting) and the merits of cataloging chemicals in YAML vs. quick spreadsheets for reproducible protocols.  
- EMP-hardening discussion concluded that welded 50-gallon drums plus mu-metal or silicon-steel shielding—not just Faraday cages—are needed to protect electronics against nuclear electromagnetic pulses.  
- “Towards Cyclic Fabrication Systems for Modular Robotics and Rapid Manufacturing” was circulated, along with a urethane-wax replicator paper, underscoring interest in closed-loop self-replicating machines.  
- A high-speed robot-hand video (Hizook blog) sparked awe and the perennial “humanity is doomed” trope, prompting reflection on dexterous manipulation limits.  
- Philosophical detour: channel members questioned the neurochemical basis of sports spectatorship, dating instincts, and the definition of “sanity,” framing them as open research problems in human enhancement.