# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (June 29, 2010)

• Andrew Hessel's presentation on carbon technologies from the H+ Summit 2010 was shared, demonstrating ongoing interest in biotechnology applications within the transhumanist community.

• BioCurious, a hackerspace for biotechnology, was gaining attention in maker communities, highlighting the growing DIY biology movement and its intersection with transhumanist interests.

• SKDB (skill database) development was discussed as a system for open hardware design sharing, with plans to integrate with 3D printers to enable physical manufacturing from downloaded designs, creating an "apt-get-then-build-it-for-realz-yo workflow."

• Technical discussions covered PySTEP and PythonOCC for creating and validating STEP files in 3D modeling, including detailed exploration of B-rep (Boundary Representation) data structures and how geometric elements are represented topologically.

• Participants debated the tension between DIY biology innovation and FDA regulatory frameworks, particularly regarding "The Business of Drug and Device Development" and approval processes.

• E-reader technology limitations were analyzed for technical document reading, with comparisons between devices like Nook and Hanvon N516 with OpenInkpot for reading PDFs and academic papers.

• The conversation touched on Singularity University's graduate studies program, noting its high cost ($25k) and questionable academic credentials despite its impressive faculty roster.