# Key Ideas from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Open source hardware gained mainstream attention with a BBC Radio feature, while the community debated various logo proposals for the Open Hardware Summit, including a well-received padlock design.

• Participants critically discussed challenges in the open hardware movement, noting that many projects "barely work" and suffer from poor documentation and insufficient community contributions.

• A substantive debate on body modification ethics explored the boundaries between self-mutilation and functional/cosmetic augmentation, including theoretical discussions about cybernetic limbs, additional digits, and engineered tails.

• DIY laboratory automation was a major focus, with detailed comparisons between commercial liquid handling systems and more affordable alternatives like stepper-driven syringe pumps and microfluidic reservoirs.

• Technical discussions centered on creating a "conductor" system to coordinate multiple Arduino devices for automating laboratory processes such as liquid handling, microscopy adjustments, PCR, and gel electrophoresis.

• Software architecture recommendations emphasized avoiding web frameworks like Rails for lab automation, instead suggesting dedicated protocols that work across serial/TCP/USB connections.