• The European Academies (ALLEA) issued a 3-page declaration urging that all Horizon 2020 research outputs be made open-access, while DARPA selected the open-source Gazebo simulator as the official platform for its Robotics Challenge, giving a major institutional boost to the Open Source Robotics Foundation.

• A DIY peptide-synthesizer project was outlined that uses microwave-accelerated solid-phase synthesis; participants referenced the POGO DNA-microarray/oligo-synthesis project for guidance on reagent sourcing and scaling to macroscopic yields.

• Practical open-hardware business strategies were debated: how to pitch open-source liquid-handling devices to corporate sponsors like Gilson, emphasizing OEM-part integration, UL certification, and “street-cred” prototypes.

• Elsevier conceded limited text-mining rights, prompting calls for a broader open-literature text-mining manifesto; links to Heather Piwowar’s blog and Nature News coverage of whole-body mouse regeneration were shared.

• The JOBS Act now permits equity crowdfunding; early platforms listed include Crowdcube, CapAngel, Gambitious (games), Assob (Australia), and Anaxago (France), while Kickstarter explicitly opted out of equity deals.

• A Nature News article on “regenerative medicine repairs mice from top to toe” was circulated, alongside a Wall Street Journal excerpt noting that 18–36 % of cancer cell lines are misidentified and proposing $200 STR DNA profiling as a fix.

• A distributed “tor2” mirroring-proxy network was described that shards repository data and peers with public relays; German VPS hosts were recommended for exit nodes to avoid logging requirements.

• PhantomJS and Qt-based scraping tools were discussed for harvesting scientific protocols, OpenGL/GLSL shaders, and patent data; participants criticized USPTO’s claim that “IP contributes $5 trillion” and IBM’s expensive patent-viewer tool.

• The Amish technological adoption model was praised: early-adopter Amish test new tools until harm is proven, with pneumatics (e.g., pneumatic blenders) favored over hydraulics for community use.

• An upcoming FBI/DIYbio “sting” meeting in Novato was announced, routed through Joseph Jackson and the Wilson Center, with attendees expected to give 10-minute project presentations.