- Ultra-high-speed 3-D imaging: Steve Silverman’s system uses a single lens, photon-detector array, and structured-light laser to “freeze” a 6-ns pulse of light and reconstruct a 3-D scene from the time-of-flight data; video demo at http://www.gadgetoff.com/2007/video-silverman.html.  
- Structured-light depth sensing: a 640×480 PS3 Eye camera plus projector can give low-cost 3-D capture; participants debate whether its resolution and optics are adequate for robot-vision tasks versus laser scanners.  
- Open-source data repositories: Infochimps.org pitched at Capital Factory (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIuqJ1QZpvI) and DataCluster (http://datacluster.infochimps.org/) were highlighted as large-scale, open data platforms.  
- Visualization resources: a massive curated list of data-visualization tools and papers was shared at http://crisismaven.wordpress.com/references/references-subjects-covered/data-structuring/data-visualisation-references/.  
- Yahoo Placemaker API (http://developer.yahoo.com/geo/placemaker/) was noted as a geolocation extraction service for developers.  
- Gapminder was suggested for inclusion in the above visualization list.  
- Vernor Vinge is reportedly writing a sequel to “A Fire Upon the Deep,” prompting discussion of the earlier novel “A Deepness in the Sky.”  
- DIY hardware hacks: 8×8 LED matrix running Super Mario, a robotic boomerang from VeraTech (http://www.veratech.aero/phantom.html), and a surplus tank helmet earmarked for “borg encrustation” were shared.  
- Tor network trivia: a transient connection to ides.fscked.org:9090 (Mike Perry’s Tor node) sparked curiosity about exit-node security and automated Tor vulnerability tools.  
- Local meetups: TX/RX hackerspace in Houston holds open-house Fridays after 7 pm; Austin visitors were directed to UT’s 307-megapixel ACES visualization lab (ACES 2.404a).