# Summary of #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (June 9, 2009)

* Discussion of VTK (Visualization Toolkit) file formats and Python integration for scientific visualization, with particular focus on time-series data representation and the PVD file format which allows for meta-files pointing to regular VTK data files.

* A user shared calculations regarding an electronic gas balloon concept based on a paper (arxiv.org/0704.3466.pdf), noting that a 120 km high tower would require approximately 18 moles of electrons and that a 20 micrometer thin insulator coated with metal would only require 2 kV to charge.

* Technical challenges were discussed regarding extremely thin materials, specifically the difficulty in obtaining polyethylene that is 0.5 micrometers thin for the electronic gas balloon concept.

* A link to Hackteria.org was shared, which appears to be a platform for DIY biology and microscopy projects, leading to a discussion about community engagement in DIY biology initiatives.

* Debate emerged about the value of individual DIY efforts versus team-based approaches, with one participant arguing that a team of committed undergraduates building low-cost hardware (referencing a workshop collaboration between Berlin and Bangalore) represented a valuable community-building approach.

* Brief speculation about future health insurance coverage for emerging technologies, including a humorous reference to "killer nanorobots" and whether health care might cover such futuristic scenarios.