# Key Technical and Conceptual Points from #hplusroadmap Discussions

• Ultrasound technology was extensively discussed, including transducer array designs (annular, square pixel, segmented), multiplexing techniques for many analog channels, and the application of compressed sensing principles to improve hardware performance, with participants noting current commercial devices are significantly overpriced.

• Advanced biomedical engineering breakthroughs were shared, including successful tissue engineering of vaginas and cartilage for nasal reconstruction, alongside discussions of cellular DNA damage minimization and a Nature Medicine paper on muscle stem cell rejuvenation.

• Neurotechnology and brain interfaces were explored through Open Ephys (open-source electrophysiology) tools and interfaces for laser diode drivers, with parallel discussions about ultrasound applications beyond imaging that could potentially manipulate cochlea and balance organs.

• Project Ara, Google's modular smartphone initiative, generated excitement for its potential to create an open ecosystem with specialized health modules using electro-permanent magnets, representing a practical implementation of modular technology principles.

• MIRI (Machine Intelligence Research Institute) released "Botworld," a cellular automaton designed to study self-modifying agents in their environment, demonstrating concrete progress in their research agenda on artificial intelligence.

• Export controls and regulations on technology were analyzed, with participants noting significant restrictions on chemicals, technical data exports, and technologies like X-ray tomography systems, highlighting regulatory challenges for open-source transhumanist research.

• Plant and bacterial communication systems were discussed in terms of the "glycocode" (chemical signaling through oligosaccharides and lectins), though electrical communication between plants was deemed unlikely.