Jan. 16th, 2018 at 2:36 PM
| T E C H N O L O G Y | |
|
introduction
The technology of the future is what authors dreamed up in books like I, Robot or for video games like Mass Effect. This is a growing part of the game world, and a place where players may contribute. Remember that you cannot change game canon, but you can build upon it. If you have additional thoughts that you think would work as part of game canon, you may comment to this entry with those. All comments are screened and the mods will discuss the possibility of adding it to game canon so long as it complements and does not contradict what's already been established.
innovation
Technological innovation appeared to flat line in the 2010's, and it became less about making something new and more about making what already existed flashier. When World War III began, technology focused entirely on the production and advancement of war craft. But toward the end and as governments stabilized and expanded, engineers found new purpose. Creating weapons of war served a purpose in opening the door for innovation again. No longer were engineers expected to create war machines, but they could see what else they could do with what knowledge they gained. Thus began what many consider the start of the Golden Age of humanity.The idea of just tacking on something new to something old came at the base, and thus the flying car and hoverboard became a reality. But it went beyond that and soon everything was better. Medical equipment was eerily precise and made for better care, and the technology kept up with advances in that field to accommodate it. Moreover, the availability of food increased, production on products began to use less fossil fuels, and rely more on renewable energy. Nuclear power plants were shut down, and coal mines abandoned. New jobs were found in places that kept track of the energy. When it became the norm, prices dropped considerably on goods because they were easier to access for everyone. Technology would then find use in the discovery of new elements for the periodic table, but more importantly, it led to the creation of androids and cyberbionic enhancements aritifical intelligence
Artificial intelligence was the subject of novels before, and androids just a pipe dream to any engineer. That all changed with the creation of TED. The first fully functioning android that operated entirely on artificial intelligence. It was still adjustable, with personality traits embedded to keep the android amiable and willing to help, but TED opened the gateway for future versions. In less than thirty years, androids became a common household presence. They primarily took on menial and physical tasks, but also served as companions for the lonely. As years have passed, technology found ways to make them more human in appearance, though they are identifiable by the metal strip all androids have along the inside of their wrists. Otherwise, scientists have created synthetic skin, muscles, and even organs that androids use, making them human in all but physical birth and their inability to age.Androids have until now obeyed three laws they alone are subject to, and they are
They have learned a lot from humanity, who still slip into the pitfalls of overindulgence and jealousy. Marriages have fallen apart due to androids, and some androids have suffered abuse too. When androids receive an update, they also transmit damage reports. These damage reports are reviewed and then followed up with a visit. However, some slip through the cracks. Broken or severely damaged androids are stripped for functional parts and their motherboards destroyed. Androids come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Their base personality is determined by the purchaser, and from there they develop and grow according to their environment and interactions. cyberbionics
Many of the parts used for androids are also available to use for humans. Those who are born with deformities or gain those over the years due to accidents of one kind or another may replace those parts with android parts. These people are identified as bionics. the term "cyborg" is considered derogatory and used as a form of insult. Bionics may have a new limb or patches of synthetic skin, new vertebrae or pieces of spinal cord. It could be anything, but once a person is more than 45% synthetic, they are generally considered bionic.All replacement eyes have a square pupil as opposed to a circular one. Replacement of body parts requires at least two weeks of physical therapy to ensure fit and functionality. All replacement parts have a lifetime warranty. Cyberobotics does not always guarantee a perfect fit, and in the early days, people died due to malfunctioning parts. black market
Even though this new world order appears utopic, there is always a darker underbelly to it. Humanity may succeed in escaping a lot of the problems of the past, but human nature is powerful. With that, androids may be purchased or thrown together by individuals, but they are not registered and therefore illegal. If caught, they are stripped down and removed from existence. Cyberobotic parts are carefully monitored, and those in possession of illegal parts are fined heavily. The governments are extremely strict about this, especially since many have died because of illegal parts and surgeries or illegally made androids that went berserk.Androids are typically used in the sex market, but never for more deviant types that involve violence of any kind. The sex market is not quite as thriving as it once was in the old days, but it still exists. After each encounter, the android is sterilized to ensure safety. Androids in the sex market are typically rewired every year to avoid the building of personal attachments to their clientele. | |