# Key Technical and Conceptual Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Logs

• The Human Brain Project received €1 billion in European funding to develop neuromorphic chips and brain simulations, with researchers debating whether such technological progress should update probability estimates in the simulation argument.

• Participants proposed using genetic algorithms to optimize biologically-inspired neural networks by starting with real biological data and developing morphogenetic programs, with the Adapteva Epiphany architecture highlighted as promising for neural network implementation due to its high memory bandwidth and mesh network architecture.

• An open-source spectrometer software library called "python-spectrometers" was developed to provide a standardized interface for different spectrometer hardware, with discussions covering Python best practices, API design choices, and data processing approaches using NumPy.

• Detailed microscopy techniques were shared, including optimal magnification for human cells (400x standard, 1000x with immersion oil), staining methods, and the potential for creating automated cell counting systems using inexpensive equipment and custom software.

• Participants discussed novel approaches to molecular dynamics simulation using discrete representation in 3D voxels with local computation, essentially implementing a cellular automaton with rich state representation.

• The feasibility of human enhancement through plasmid injection was debated, with discussions about regulatory hurdles and the ethics of self-experimentation versus clinical trials in countries with less stringent regulations.