# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• Participants discussed safety criteria for transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), sharing research papers and DIY implementation designs using simple components like 9V batteries, with emphasis on current regulation and gradual ramping to minimize discomfort.

• The brmlab hackerspace's tDCS project documentation was referenced (https://brmlab.cz/project/brain_hacking/tdcs) as a resource for DIY brain stimulation experimentation.

• A $100K Brain Preservation Prize was mentioned, with $25K allocated for the first team to successfully preserve a mouse brain, though the organization needs additional funding to conduct verification tests.

• The Allen Brain Institute was reported to be hosting a hackathon in Seattle focused on brain imaging tools, including tractography clustering visualization techniques.

• Participants noted that DNA sequencing costs are decreasing faster than storage costs are improving, with discussion of a new fastq compression algorithm (https://github.com/dcjones/quip) that won a $15K prize.

• Cryobiology discussions revealed significant species differences in freezing tolerance, with some mammals able to recover from having 50-70% of their body water frozen, referencing pioneering 1950s research by Audrey Smith and James Lovelock.

• Technical conversations covered wearable computing topics including HUD (Heads-Up Display) technology implementation methods and the practicality of chorded keyboards as specialized input devices.