# Key Points from Transhumanist IRC Discussion

• Developers evaluated JavaScript automation tools including PhantomJS, Ghost.py, and CasperJS, noting PhantomJS's implementation of WebDriver and WebKit remote debugging capabilities for development purposes.

• A "Glowing Plants" Kickstarter project faced criticism for potentially misleading claims about their "Genome Compiler" software and Cambrian Genomics' DNA synthesis technology, raising concerns about their proposed open policy framework for DIY biotechnology.

• Participants planned a reverse engineering effort for an Illumina DNA sequencer at BioCurious, discussing the importance of documenting ROMs, chips, and interfaces, while noting that Illumina's high profit margins (reportedly 70%) make their systems attractive targets.

• Technical analysis revealed that Illumina sequencer cycle time is primarily limited by camera/microscope operations rather than computing power, with the machines using USB connections, potentially USB-to-serial.

• Researchers discussed a paper demonstrating how unmodified Blu-ray optical components could create sub-micron features in photoresist at a 2mm working distance, suggesting possibilities for DIY high-resolution laser lithography.

• The group debated in-house DNA sequencing versus outsourcing, noting that while Ion Torrent systems offer faster runtimes and cheaper machines than Illumina platforms, they provide more expensive data per unit, and outsourcing to facilities like UC Davis only adds a few days to turnaround time.

• A discussion about DIY -80°C freezers for biohacking explored the standard temperature's origin, suggesting it was chosen to be slightly below dry ice temperature (-78°C) to enable emergency cooling with dry ice during equipment failures.