# Key Technical and Conceptual Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• A significant advancement in X-ray crystallography was discussed, highlighting a Nature paper demonstrating that as little as 80 nanograms of sample is now sufficient for single-crystal diffraction analysis, representing a major improvement for small molecule analysis.

• The community compared microcontroller architectures, with consensus that ARM Cortex architecture offers superior capabilities over older AVR systems, with specific development boards like Teensy 3.0, mbed NXP SoC, and Freescale's FRDM-KL25Z ($13 with onboard JTAG debugger) being recommended.

• A debate emerged about optimization approaches in embedded systems, contrasting hardware-specific optimization for cost reduction in mass production versus using libraries to optimize developer time for custom lab equipment, with discussion of the constraints of limited memory environments.

• DIY PCR device development was analyzed, comparing the commercial OpenPCR ($599) with community alternatives like wiremound-PCR, with suggestions that functional PCR devices could potentially be built for as little as $25.

• A teenage scientist's breakthrough in algae research was highlighted, involving an artificial selection process to kill off algae with low levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase), resulting in high-yield algae with increased lipid production potential.

• The G-code ecosystem was critically examined, noting that despite the existence of a NIST standard (RS274-NGC), vendor lock-in has created numerous incompatible dialects requiring post-processors to handle machine-specific formatting requirements.