Even though we're currently eleven hours from the DIY spectrometer Kickstarter ending, a huge thanks to everyone who helped push the campaign to 1,500+ backers and past the amounts needed to make both an iOS app and an API allowing people to develop their own spectral "apps". Although its almost time to start looking forward to all the spectral goodness to come, we still have eleven hours left, so please take a minute to send a Tweet, post to Facebook or throw in your $10... maybe we can hit an even $110k by the end of the day!

In other Public Lab news...

1. Barn raising sign-up deadline approaching. The "light" deadline for signing up for the barn raising in Cocodrie, LA is this upcoming Wednesday, October 10th. There is a great list of session topics forming and a larger group than we expected (which is exciting), so if you're interested in coming, please remember to sign-up in the next couple of days.

2. Grassroots Mapping Forum. This week, the Grassroots Mapping Blog features an interview I did with Scott Eustis of the Gulf Restoration Network, originally published in the summer issue of the Grassroots Mapping Forum, our quarterly print publication. Subscribe here.

3. Bayou Bienvenue mapping tomorrow. Join in for a mapping on Bayou Bienvenue tomorrow morning at 9am, leaving from the deck at the end of Caffin Ave. in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. Canoes, kayaks and balloons will be provided.

4. Public Lab BOD meeting. The Public Lab nonprofit will be holding a Board of Directors meeting this upcoming Wednesday. Later in the week we'll be posting meeting notes and reports that were presented at this meeting.

5. Open Hardware Summit. For those not at the summit last week in NYC, Public Lab had a demo table with a desktop spectrometer and aerial mapping kit displayed and Liz and I did a talk during the Community Engagement and Education section of the program.

6. EcoHack registration now open. Join others interested in the intersection of technology and the environment at EcoHack3 in NYC this November. Registration was just announced and there promises to be a diverse array of interesting projects to work on, including the Public Lab air column monitor. Bonus: its at the American Museum of Natural History.

7. Research notes. New map: Green Slice- Bush Playground, Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans (posted by gonzoearth) "Ground" control points for Bayou Bienvenue (posted by eustatic) [Gowanus inflow now contained with boom?]http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/warren/10-1-2012/gowanus-inflow-now-contained-boom) (posted by warren) Spectra reference library (posted by B. Williams) Ultraviolet fluorescence in BP oil and residue and olive oil (posted by warren)

Thanks for a great week everyone! As always, if we missed anything, please send a message to the list, post a research note or email shannon@publiclaboratory.org for inclusion in the newsletter next week. Have a great weekend!