# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Caltech announced a new open-access policy effective January 1, 2014, where faculty automatically grant nonexclusive rights to the Institute to disseminate scholarly papers, making research more widely accessible to the public.

• The OpenWorm and NemaLoad projects were discussed as open science initiatives with connections to transhumanist communities, with participants sharing documents about "movement validation plans" and noting involvement from both Langton Labs and academia.

• A philosophical debate emerged about Bitcoin mining ASICs, with arguments that specialized hardware contradicts free software principles by creating less reusable, less freedom-respecting computing devices, and suggestions that cryptocurrencies should use ASIC-resistant algorithms.

• Researchers discussed papers on genetic mutations in twins, highlighting how rare mutations occurring after blastocyst splitting can appear in both somatic and germline tissues, enabling novel genetic analysis approaches.

• ThomasEgi shared a project developing a 160×144 electrode array for the optic nerve (matching original GameBoy resolution) as a potential visual prosthetic for the blind, discussing technical challenges in electrode design and nerve tissue interaction.

• The conversation explored focused ultrasound neurostimulation technology, noting it can achieve spatial resolutions of approximately 1.5-2mm, which is about five times better than transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).