# Summary of #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (Nov 3, 2011)

* A user shared a repository of transcripts from the Singularity Summit, accessible at http://diyhpl.us/wiki/transcripts/ and via git clone git://diyhpl.us/diyhpluswiki.git.

* Discussion about building a DIY Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) as a first step toward more advanced nanofabrication, with participants debating the merits of STM versus Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for different materials.

* Participants compared approaches to molecular manufacturing, specifically discussing Zyvex's patterned atomic layer epitaxy (using STM to remove hydrogen from silicon surfaces) versus traditional mechanosynthesis approaches for diamondoid structures.

* A researcher mentioned having access to unreleased actuator technology with 2nm noise detection capabilities, noting that university lab equipment for nanoscale work costs approximately $70,000.

* Discussion of the challenges in diamondoid mechanosynthesis, including the complexity of requiring nine different tooltips for self-replication and the difficulty of detaching molecular machine parts from diamond surfaces.

* Participants expressed interest in integrating molecular dynamics and ab-initio models into NanoEngineer software to better simulate molecular manufacturing processes and potentially extend mechanosynthesis to other elements.