• Liquid-lens microscopy: participants explored repurposing electrowetting (EWOD) liquid lenses from commercial cameras for vibration-free microscopy, microfluidic imaging, and low-cost photolithography, debating refractive-index fluids (Cargille GH, diamond-like n≈2.4) and fabrication challenges (100 nm Teflon-on-conductor-on-glass coatings).

• Electron-beam welding as a space-ready fabrication tool: genehacker highlighted that e-beam systems weld 14-inch steel in vacuum, produce minimal heat-affected zones, and could be re-purposed for micro-scale bio-device assembly or in-orbit construction.

• DIY bio-lab economics: a detailed plan was sketched for a low-cost DIY bio-lab built from retrofitted shipping containers (~$20k for mammalian tissue-culture), including HEPA-filtered positive pressure, −80°C freezer, laminar-flow hoods, and standard reagents for PCR, Westerns, RNA/DNA isolation; fetal-bovine serum ($250 per 500 mL) dominates running costs while trypsin is cheap ($22 per 100 mL 10×).

• Open-source hardware repository (SKDB): contributors discussed populating it with parametric CAD models for basic components (screws, bearings, DC motors), validating submissions, and creating a user-friendly web front-end to crowd-source content.

• Microfluidics and PCR hardware as near-term DIY-bio goals: genehacker reported researching serpentine microfluidic channels for PCR and floated the idea of a low-cost PCR disease detector, while ybit asked where to catalog fabrication methods such as laser scanners, STM/AFM, and t-shirt lithography.

• Philosophical debate over money and motivation: kanzure argued that "just build stuff" without waiting for capital is viable, whereas jonathan_ insisted that monetary incentives and ROI are unavoidable for recruiting talent and accelerating large projects like autonomous healthcare facilities.

• Adrian Bowyer (RepRap founder) guest-lectured on CAD geometry paradigms, contrasting boundary-representation (meshes) with function-representation (implicit surfaces/integrals) and voicing strong dislike for STL files; participants debated why motors and structural parts aren't yet printable and why investment-casting with ABS burnout hasn't been pursued.

• Safety levels for DIY bio work: BSL-2 containment deemed acceptable for HIV/adenovirus work in a hackerspace, whereas BSL-3 pathogens (most Gates Foundation grant targets) were ruled out.

• Links and resources shared: Nature apoptosis paper, Openmoko CAD repository, 2009 Oregon State EECS senior capstone project list, Thingiverse wax-milling machine, and the observation that the ASM Handbook is paywalled and not open-source.