# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Personal genome sequencing was becoming more affordable at approximately $1500 for 30x coverage, with participants debating whether to purchase immediately or wait for further price drops, while noting that genomic information typically leads to lifestyle improvements rather than dramatic medical interventions.

• Detailed technical discussions about spectroscopy equipment featured the TCD1304AP sensor, with explanations of how Raman spectroscopy differs from standard IR spectroscopy by using lasers to detect characteristic frequency shifts in returning photons.

• DIY bioreactors and brewing projects were shared, including a SENS Foundation sample grant proposal for making GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) beer and a "Zymeter" project for brewing applications.

• Participants referenced the historical vitamin B12 total synthesis by Robert Woodward and Albert Eschenmoser's teams, which required nearly 100 researchers over a decade, suggesting this could have been accelerated with a comprehensive database of organic reactions.

• A DIY Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) project was discussed that could measure DVD data tracks invisible to optical microscopes, with various implementations including LEGO-based designs being considered.

• Light-directed oligonucleotide synthesis techniques using micromirror arrays for DNA synthesis were explored, with participants sharing papers on semiconductor photoresists and microfluidic PicoArray approaches.

• DIY microfabrication was discussed, including a laser etcher with 10μm cutting resolution, with participants noting this matched the manufacturing scale of influential early 1970s microprocessors.