Hey, since you're reading Josh, I have a question: isn't the harder part of this securing the chemicals / reagents / disposables / tools to actually perform PCR? I thought you needed special (patent covered) reagents, 96/whatever well plates, seals, pipettes, etc. Sorry, I'm not trying to be disrespectful of your efforts, but it seems that even if I had a PCR machine, I'd still be a long way from doing PCR on anything interesting.

In any case, best of luck. I used to work on software that controlled MJ Research thermocyclers and on a light sensing / real time pcr system software. It was kind of interesting, but the companies that build these devices move slowly and charge (in my mind) way too much money. This market is ripe for disruption. (I worked on a slightly bigger, since discontinued, version of this: http://www.bio-rad.com/prd/en/US/adirect/biorad?ts=1&cmd... )

There's actually a used one of the things I worked on for sale for $14K here. Oof.

http://www.labx.com/v2/adsearch/detail3.cfm?adnumb=402318

Also -- if you just want a plain thermocycler, here's one for $20 or so!!! (these things started at $10K new.) http://www.labx.com/v2/adsearch/detail3.cfm?adnumb=415429