[MURG] Future of MURG (reply Ed's question)

[Joseph J. Strout]

At 12:40 PM +0100 11/5/03, Eugen Leitl wrote:

>Starting with a simple target _is_ systematic treatment. Theory doesn't help
>if you're trying to develop scanning automation. You need engineers, not
>scientists for that.

For what it's worth, I think Eugene's point here is right on.  The 
most important development that could occur for uploading this stage 
is automation of the sectioning & scanning process.  Right now, for 
example, the sectioning requires hours of labor of a highly skilled 
ultramicrotomist; then the microscopy must be done by a skilled 
electron microscopist (though good steps are already being taken to 
automate that part).

An automated sectioner and scanner would have enormous applications 
throughout biology.  But it's a very difficult job, requiring MEMS 
(though thankfully not nanotech), and even with all the bio 
applications, it's a fairly small market.  I doubt you could make 
much of a profit on it, or at least, it'd be hard to convince 
investors (or boards of directors) that you could.  So, unless we 
have a windfall, we'll have to be patient and wait for market forces 
to get us there step by step.

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