# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (June 12, 2016)

• Participants discussed a network of notable researchers in the Boston/Cambridge area, including Ed Boyden, Adam Marblestone, and George Church, highlighting the region's importance as a hub for cutting-edge neuroscience and biotechnology research.

• The group debated naming conventions for an open-source electroporator device project, balancing technical accuracy with approachable terminology for a tool that would enable DNA transformation in laboratory settings.

• Wearable technology for continuous biometric data collection was explored, with interest in using devices like the Pebble Time 2 for 24/7 sensor recording with the goal of developing real-time analysis and feedback systems.

• Kanzure described challenges in effectively utilizing his extensive conversation database (with tagged records since 2009) to develop metrics and automation for optimally routing information to relevant people.

• Technical discussions covered open-source alternatives to expensive lab equipment like qPCR machines, highlighting challenges in precision temperature control and fluorescence detection that make democratizing such technology difficult.

• Computational chemistry tools were evaluated, including PyQuante and nanoengineer, for applications in energy minimization, binding affinity, and reaction simulations, though concerns were raised about maintenance status of some software.

• A technical conversation about DNA synthesis methods addressed specific challenges with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) synthesis orientation and template generation for nicking enzymes, demonstrating the group's focus on practical biotechnology implementation.