# Key Ideas from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussions

• Brain Corporation demonstrated practical neural network applications with a visual recognition system for bakery goods in Tokyo, while participants discussed various neural network implementations including NEAT for multi-agent learning and recommended foundational texts like Jeff Hawkins' "On Intelligence."

• HP announced Multi-Jet Fusion 3D printing technology using inkjet-deposited heat-absorbing materials with nylon powder, potentially offering faster printing than laser sintering, while participants debated limitations of various 3D printing technologies including structural degradation in stereolithography parts.

• Researchers discussed the feasibility of AI systems designing nanofactories, with some arguing that computational approaches could become more cost-effective than human engineers, while others emphasized the challenges of the symbol grounding problem and the need for bridging symbolic and subsymbolic understanding.

• The computational requirements for brain simulation were analyzed, with estimates ranging from 10^17 FLOPS for abstract models to potentially 10^30 FLOPS for detailed simulations, with references to the Oxford Future of Humanity Institute's brain emulation roadmap.

• Participants debated alternative scientific publishing models following France's five-year deal with Elsevier, while noting Library Genesis was implementing multiple backup plans including P2P networks to ensure scientific literature remains accessible despite legal challenges.

• The conversation explored biotechnology applications including Ginkgo Bioworks joining Y Combinator, an unreleased cavity-preventing vaccine from the 1990s, and potential treatments for lactose intolerance through gut bacteria modification.