Planning the features we want to see in the cyberpunk dystopia
HEY GUESS WHAT! There’s a newer post about the latest MicroLab release. The MicroLab is updated. The roadmap is updated. It’s all more updated than what’s below here. You probably want to read that instead.
It might be a coincidence, but following our MicroLab v0.6.0 reveal at Defcon, one of the key off-the-shelf parts sold out across the internet. We’re choosing to believe we’re victims of our own success, but maybe there just weren’t enough vendors selling stepper-driven peristaltic pumps out there. We had an older syringe pump design, but it involved a lot of assembly and wasn’t compatible with the new cases.
Long story short, we needed a new DIY design that was simple and robust.
The sneak-preview in the video above is part of the upcoming v0.6.1 release that unblocks replication for those who can’t find the recommended off-the-shelf pumps. Oh yeah, we’re working on DIY peristaltic pumps too.
UPDATE: Files have been posted.
- Syringe Pumps
- Peristaltic Pumps (alpha version)
And that’s just one of the exciting updates in store for everyone’s favorite piece of open source lab equipment.
Also planned for v0.7.0:
- A reactor that can stand up to any temperature or solvent you might throw at it. We’re currently experimenting with materials that have high chemical and thermal tolerances. We’re hoping to find something that’s workable with consumer-grade 3d printers while also providing the versatility for a broad range of small-molecule organic chemistry. As a workaround, we’re investigating third-party vendors that would sell a reactor manifold in custom materials.
- A heating module that is simpler and more efficient. We’re experimenting with a range of options for controlling reactor temperature. We hope to cut back on total number of parts and possibly eliminate the MAINS power heaters, moving everything to 12V.
- Fully-featured auxiliary software package. Currently, Vinni and the RecipePress allow you to develop and export recipes for the Microlab, but there are some features that are conspicuously missing. Better project editing, tracking of relevant compounds, and integration between the software stack are upcoming priorities for us.
- A larger suite of “hello world” recipes. We want to include a few more basic recipes that do real (if simple) chemical reactions. These will be easily verifiable by sight, smell, and… other senses.
Upcoming for v0.8.0:
- Internationalization. Up to now, the MicroLab has largely been designed in the US by English speakers. There is some groundwork laid for a multi-lingual UI. Are you a native Spanish speaker? Do you want to translate this? Same question for any other language you might know fluently or in a technical depth.
We’re also planning to release an updated parts list for various global markets where Ball jars aren’t ubiquitous. - Atmosphere control. The chemistry team tells us that most labs use a balloon filled with an inert gas like nitrogen to displace air and control reactor atmosphere. We figure we can work on making the reaction chamber more air-tight and hook up a tube and a balloon without too much trouble. We choose to do these things not because they are easy, but because we assume they won’t be that hard.
- Finalized parts list. With more replicators coming on board lately, we’ve been throwing around a bunch of ideas for updating, simplifying, and reducing costs. This release will be the “final draft” of the MicroLab ahead of polishing and tweaks that will take us to v1.0.
Getting to v1.0
It’s too early to dig into the detailed plans for our “final” release, but we’ve got some big ideas that will streamline the device, reduce cost, and provide a robust, integrated user experience. With v1.0, fully-functional, affordable DIY lab equipment will stop being a cool idea and start being a fact of life.
If you’d like to help us expand the possibilities for human agency through DIY medicine, consider joining us. You can also follow us on socials or join the conversation on our subreddit. Whatever you do, make sure you’re connecting with your friends and loved ones so you can be the change you want to see in the cyberpunk dystopia.
Until next time, keep each other healthy and keep each other safe.