# Key Ideas from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• Participants discussed formal verification tools in computing, specifically the Coq proof management system and Quark, a verified browser developed using Coq, highlighting interest in mathematically proven software reliability.

• Neuroscience tools like SpikerBox and NeuroRighter were mentioned for neural activity recording, with specific applications to pond snail (L. stagnalis) research, demonstrating ongoing DIY neuroscience efforts.

• The channel documented sustainability challenges in biohacker spaces, with Biocurious reportedly struggling financially ($6,000/month expenses with only 10 active members), suggesting membership fee models may be insufficient for DIY biology labs.

• LA Biohackers' collaboration with Backyard Brains was noted, along with innovative projects including nitrogenase development and 3D printing sea sponges using alternating layers of sponge cells and gelatin scaffolding.

• Discussions revealed serious concerns about cell line authentication in biomedical research, with over a third of cell lines reportedly contaminated or misidentified, leading to wasted resources and irreproducible results.

• Energy harvesting techniques for low-power electronics were explored, including experiments using coiled wire and germanium bridge rectifiers to generate approximately half a watt from ambient electromagnetic fields.

• The channel addressed novel engineering concepts like "audio imaging" (using microphone arrays for environmental mapping) and James Albus's Robocrane (an octahedral cable-based manipulator providing six degrees of freedom).

• Participants noted the historical significance of the channel itself as possibly the longest-running active IRC channel for biohacking (since 2008), outlasting previous transhumanist channels like #extropians and #sl4.