# Key Themes from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• The SKDB project emerged as a significant initiative described as "a debian of hardware designs" or "a high-level approach to manufacturing" that aims to help users build tools based on what they already have, functioning like a tech tree system where prerequisites must be built before advanced structures.

• Participants discussed various approaches to neuroscience and brain simulation, referencing researchers like Mountcastle, Markram, and Casanova, with particular focus on minicolumns and macrocolumns in brain structure and debates about silicon-based implementations versus biological approaches.

• Several immersive technologies were shared, including webcam-based head tracking systems from the University of Tokyo that create parallax-augmented displays and "yellowbird" 3D video technology, suggesting interest in enhanced human-computer interfaces.

• The group debated the state of synthetic biology and genetic engineering, with some expressing disappointment that the field was "20 years behind" expectations due to insufficient empirical engineering work, despite theoretical knowledge of techniques like DNA sequencing and cluster analysis.

• Transhumanist themes of longevity research appeared throughout the discussions, with references to Aubrey de Grey's SENS approach and debates about DIY approaches to longevity research versus institutional approaches.

• A tension between commercial pursuits and open scientific advancement was evident, with one participant claiming to make $10-20K monthly through affiliate marketing while others advocated for open-source development and questioned whether scientific innovation could be accelerated if researchers had more financial resources.

• Educational philosophy was debated, with several participants arguing that formal degrees are primarily useful for employment rather than skill-building, advocating instead for "just in time learning" and self-directed research using internet resources.

• Practical maker technologies were discussed, including concepts like "fabratory" or "fablab" (described as machine shops crossed with Debian), portable document scanners, and "Flashbake" tools for automatic version control of files.