# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (May 9, 2011)

• Kanzure shared extensive transhumanist research repositories at diyhpl.us/~bryan/papers2/ containing papers on stem cells, longevity, and microfluidics, along with a video repository at diyhpl.us:9000.

• A critical assessment of DIYbio projects described them as "somewhat pathetic," with participants identifying microfluidics and CAD/lab equipment development as more promising areas for advancement.

• Discussion of hardware acquisition challenges revealed that even when obtaining equipment cheaply (like a $100 Megabace 1000 DNA sequencer), ongoing reagent costs exceeding $1,000 remain a significant barrier to DIY biotechnology.

• Kanzure described transferring the Gada Prize from the Foresight Institute and writing its legal documentation, noting that 10-15 teams were approaching the requirements for this open-source technology competition.

• Participants critiqued the RepRap open-source 3D printer community for poor version control practices and project management, observing that many users develop improvements without contributing them back to the project.

• A cellular automata project (ca-ga 4.99.99) was discussed as a potential neural network simulation system with 3.3M neurons, claimed to demonstrate emergent properties including multicellularity and the potential to evolve intelligence.

• The group analyzed banking security vulnerabilities, arguing that the current "pull" transaction model is fundamentally flawed and should be replaced with a "push" model or three-way handshake system.