# Key Points from Transhumanist IRC Discussion

• Participants discussed establishing a fabrication lab in Austin with a $2,000/month rent, developing "fabuntu" as specialized software for inventory management, bill of materials tracking, and accounting tailored specifically for fabrication labs.

• The conversation highlighted DIY biology innovations, including a low-cost "keiki gel" technique using drinking straws for DNA electrophoresis, and referenced DIY DNA synthesis resources including a wiki page on DNA synthesizer development.

• Several open-source CAD/CAM tools were shared (libactp, libarea, heekscad, heekscnc), demonstrating progress in Linux-based design and manufacturing software alongside discussion of Poky, an open-source platform build tool for creating Linux devices.

• Participants explored the mathematics behind "Hektor," a non-Cartesian drawing system using cables and motors, debating the number of cables needed for proper control in different dimensions.

• The group discussed automated vending systems for hardware components, referencing Fastenal's SmartStore system that uses RFID lockers to dispense industrial supplies.

• A participant proposed that extension PCR combined with maskless lithography could enable a "gene compiler" system, showing interest in DIY genetic engineering approaches.

• The conversation included references to an open-source spectrophotometer project and "The Urinomics Project" for citizen science urine analysis, demonstrating interest in democratizing scientific instrumentation.