- Butterfly iQ handheld ultrasound, priced under $2 k, is highlighted as a dramatic cost reduction versus the $115 k average for hospital systems, but participants still debate whether $2 k is “cheap” once Chinese alternatives and component costs are considered.  
- The device embeds AI/ML hardware—likely a neural-network ASIC—to enable non-experts to capture diagnostic-quality images in bandwidth- and power-constrained rural settings; latency and on-device inference efficiency are discussed as key design drivers.  
- FDA classification for the Butterfly iQ is Class II (ultrasonic pulsed-doppler imaging system); regulatory approval alone is estimated at $2–4 M and up, with total development costs potentially far higher.  
- A biorxiv pre-print on “Imaging subcellular dynamics in multicellular organisms” is shared, pointing to new microscopy techniques for real-time cellular tracking in vivo.  
- Bitcoin protocol enhancements BIP-98 (Fast Merkle Trees), BIP-116 (MERKLEBRANCHVERIFY), and BIP-117 (Tail Call Execution Semantics) are introduced as the foundation for Merkleized Abstract Syntax Trees (MAST), with links to implementation PRs and transcripts added to the diyhpluswiki.  
- Bill Efcavitch revises an earlier claim, noting the price gap between array-based DNA oligo synthesis and delivered DNA is “only” two orders of magnitude, not the previously suggested 10,000×.  
- Discussion of Chinese hardware sourcing emphasizes that devices usually function but arrive without documentation or support, and U.S. regulatory restrictions often block direct purchase of cutting-edge consumer medical devices.  
- An open call is made for information on a snail-derived UV-absorbing compound that remains stable under UV exposure, distinct from conventional benzophenones that degrade.