# Key Points from Transhumanist Technology Discussion

• Participants discussed building an affordable oligonucleotide synthesizer with a target budget under $50,000, debating microfluidic-based approaches versus conventional synthesis methods, with practical synthesis limitations noted at around 50-mers for single-well synthesis.

• The group analyzed microfabrication techniques for DNA technology, comparing Focused Ion Beam (FIB) milling ($350/hour for 50 hours) versus photolithography, with debate about whether sub-3μm features were necessary and whether a Blu-ray writer could be hacked as a polar stereolithography writer.

• A new Emotiv EEG device on Kickstarter was discussed skeptically, with one user offering to crack the firmware to verify claims and mentioning alternatives like OpenEEG and Neurosky for cheaper single-sensor options.

• Kickstarter's ban on projects distributing genetically-modified organisms as rewards was noted, with the existing Glowing Plant Project being grandfathered in, prompting discussion about alternative crowdfunding platforms for genetic engineering projects.

• The conversation referenced several existing DNA technologies including Cambrian Genomics' bead-based approach, Church lab's micropipette array system, and the POSAM open-source synthesizer (http://genomebiology.com/content/5/8/R58).

• Participants discussed various DNA purification methods, comparing HPLC (estimated at $20,000) with PAGE (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) in capillaries, which was suggested as an easier and more cost-effective approach for oligo purification.