# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (August 18, 2010)

• Participants discussed synthetic biology ethics in relation to hacker culture, sharing resources on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies through sites like future-bnci.org and bci.tugraz.at.

• Significant advances in solid freeform fabrication (SFF) were discussed, including NASA's use of electron beam fabrication for rocket components, Cornell researchers printing edible food, and the development of an affordable microstereolithography system accurate to 1 micron using off-the-shelf components for under $300.

• The group explored Steve Mann's wearable computing "eyetap" technology that uses a 45-degree mirror to reflect images from an LCOS chip into the eye while simultaneously capturing camera input.

• A critical analysis of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and modeling languages like SysML and UML revealed skepticism about their practical value and concerns about excessive complexity in software engineering documentation.

• Participants discussed a DARPA BAA proposal for vehicleforge.mil, focusing on creating a hardware repository or component library as part of META-2, with technical considerations for CAD format conversion and component data acquisition from suppliers.

• The conversation revealed serious challenges in brain simulation research, noting that Henry Markram's Blue Brain project lost IBM funding after Markram criticized IBM's claims about simulating a cat brain, with participants suggesting brain simulation is now primarily a funding issue rather than a technical challenge.