Question: i have looked at the photos and some of the designs look complicated. did it take a long time to figure out how to make them and what are they used for?

Simon Holyoake answered on 21 Jun 2013:

The first photograph is a high pressure tube manifold, it did take me a long time to figure out how to make, as not only did I have to figure out where all the tubes need to go, I also had a limited amount of space to fit them in!

I knew which bits needed to be connected to other bits, but making sure all the tubes fit around each other can be a real head scratcher! this is the exact same challenge as when I design circuitry or lay a printed circuit board out!

the second is a rock sample with two types of sensor, the metal things sticking out sideways at the top and bottom (with the red wires coming out) are listening for tiny sounds made in the rock as it cracks, the other sensors (labelled X5) are extremely sensitive to voltages, and are trying to detect tiny voltages generated inside the rock as it fractures. Inside those sensors is some incredibly tiny electronic circuitry which is very complex and clever, it took a team of many people to design!