# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• Participants debated philosophical questions about productivity and value systems, with recommendations to develop personal rulesets for determining what constitutes "wasting time" versus advancing scientific or technological progress.

• The group explored cognitive frameworks and internal language representation, referencing Chomsky's linguistics theories and discussing challenges in creating useful internal representations for natural language parsing in AI systems.

• Several members criticized RepRap 3D printing as an "evolutionary dead end" due to quality limitations and inability to reproduce critical components, suggesting a shift toward more advanced "cyclic fabrication systems" for self-replicating manufacturing.

• A team acquired licensing rights to a $10 pocket-sized convective PCR thermocycler design from Texas A&M University, sparking debate about development costs ($80-100K estimate) and commercialization strategy, with some participants arguing the device was overpriced and unverified.

• Participants shared progress on various open-source hardware projects, including SKDB (a system for sharing hardware designs), 3D geometry code with coordinate transformations, and a PCR thermocycler simulation.

• The discussions touched on specialized technical topics including RNA spectrometry readings, cDNA synthesis, neurochemicals involved in sexual intercourse, and the creation of cycloidal gear profiles in MATLAB.

• Members expressed interest in exoskeleton development, with questions about free/libre open source exoskeleton projects and sharing of research papers on the topic.