Middle Tech / Midtech

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Technology > Technology Levels > Middle Tech / Midtech

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Middle Tech is a term used for the characteristic technologies of Old Earth from the Industrial Age to the late Information Age. Though powerful, these technologies have high energy and material requirements in proportion to their outputs, and can cause resource exhaustion and environmental degradation if the mechosystem is not carefully managed to capture and recycle its products and its abundant wastes. Middle tech societies may take a variety of forms, but the diversity of middle tech societies on any one world or megahab may actually be small due to the levelling effect of rapid local transportation and communication.

Characteristic midtech includes nonsentient computers, interactive media, presentient and subturingrade expert systems, network architecture, basic biotech with crude gengineering, nuclear fission, chemical rocket engines, electronics, artificial dyes and fertilisers, artificial fibres, fusion weapons, crude solar cells, antibiotics and other synthetic drugs, inexpensive refining of raw materials, basic automation, and mechanised agriculture.

Though of course midtech is widespread as a component in higher tech societies, exclusively midtech societies are vanishingly rare. Midtech lacks the stability of both higher and lower tech levels, so such regions either evolve to high tech societies or slip down to a more sustainable lowtech level. Nevertheless, midtech level artifacts may be popular among modosophonts in higher tech societies who prefer items that have powerful effects but are easy to operate and repair.

Articles

ACER (aka 'Boom Bullets') - Text by Luke Campbell, Mike Miller, and Todd Drashner
Personal weapons system that operates by firing small nuclear explosive shells.
Adaptive Mimetic Materials - Text by John B
A piece of matter designed to gather specific biometric traits of a being and store them for later recovery or broadcast/narrowcast to a dedicated recorder. The most common is the adaptive mimetic material handle, which samples both palm print, finger prints, bio-electrical signatures, and sweat chemistry amongst bionts. With careful design, such materials can gather similar abiometric data from cyborgs and vecs, mapping the specific frequencies released by actuators, relative actuator strength, precise beam lengths, etc. This is often used as a cheap security measure.
Adbomb - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on original by Michael Beck
Subliminal memebot broadcast devices, scattered them around a designated area, they release a message into the brain of everyone in the area, usually an advertisement. Banned throughout much of the Civilized Galaxy, they are widely used in market state free zones such as the NoCoZo, and out towards the Periphery where the reach of the noetic and other big ai states is not very strong.
Aeroponics - Text by AI Vin
A soil-less method of plant cultivation using mist.
AFV - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Armoured Fighting Vehicle. Any macroscopic armoured military fighting vehicle equipped with a selection of projectile and/or energy weapons, whether wheeled, tracked, walker, or a ground-effect, Industrial Age to Recent.
Alcohol II - Text by Daniel Harle
One of the first biologically active systemic nanotic injections, designed to keep a 'reasonable' (non-fatal) level of alcohol in the blood stream and to scavenge the unpleasant biochemical byproducts of alcohol metabolism.
Antimatter Mining - Text by Luke Campbell
Mining antimatter from the magnetic field of a gas giant
Antisound - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Technology with the ability to nullify sound.
Arachnoweave - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Fabric created using biomimemetic synthesis of spider-silk proteins. Strong yet subtle and light, used for a variety of purposes, including police and military body armor, sporting clothing, and fashion statements.
Arcjet - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Simple very lo-tech rocket used for short low power thrusters, such as station keeping motors and satellites. A non-flammable propellant is heated (not combusted) by an electrical heat source, causing it to undergo a phase change (from liquid to gas) and is then expelled out of the nozzle under pressure. Although extremely inefficient and low thrust, arcjets are very reliable and require no sentient or subsentient ai controller. Almost any fluid from spare drinking water to human urine to vec cleaning oils can be used as a propellant in an emergency.
Arcology - Text by Anders Sandberg, Trent Shipley, and M. Alan Kazlev
A planned, building/ neighborhood/ city that is integrated into the landscape and enables the inhabitants to live holistic lives, integrating work and play. Arcology designs are fully 3-dimensional, mega-structure cities which can in theory achieve much greater efficiencies, and promote more social interaction than 2-dimensional cities, while using far less land and consuming fewer resources.
Aron Tech VX12 Trans-atmospheric Fighter - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Popular nanotech fighter first created by Aron Tech.
Art Generator Software - Text by Domagoj K.
The use of art generator software (AGS) to produce creative works - whether visual, auditory, tactile, chemosensory, or of exotic senses such as those that exist in virches - is an ancient technology, taking a wide array of forms and capabilities, and with a wide range of differing cultural views on it.
Artificial Intelligence - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The foundation from which AI developed, from Information Age Old Earth.
Autocannon, Cannon - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large-calibre (generally 20-40 mm) self-aiming rapid-firing kinetic weapon fixed to armored vehicles, gunships, or Mecha.
Automatic Rifle - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Steve Bowers
Hand-held kinetic weapon with effective range generally in the vicinity of several hundred meters.
Autonomous Agent - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In general, an ai or aioid that has limited perception of its environment but is still able to process information to calculate an action so as to be able to perform a task or seek a goal.
Autonomous Explosive Delivery System (Boombot) - Text by Todd Drashner
Explosive robot carrying an ACER round or similar miniature warhead
Babel Plague - Text by Anders Sandberg
Human viral infection of artificial origin, likely developed as a bioweapon during the 300's.
Bacca - Text by Anders Sandberg
Family of crops derived from the tobacco plant through gengineering during the Solsys Era and later. Designed for use in space hydroponics, different strains produce livestock feed, vegetables, drugs and decorative flowers. Especially common is Qianxuesen, a bacca vegetable eaten, generally either boiled or mashed, by terragen bionts.
Bacterics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Use of bacteria in biotech - e.g. as simple biobots, as bionano processing nodes, and more.
Barbwire-Bush - Text by David Hallberg
The Barb-wire Bush is a genetic construct designed for use in low-tech entrenched fortifications, such as those on the Western Front in the First World War of Old Earth, or in any number of prim to low-tech conflicts in the millennia since. It may also be used in civil settings as a low-cost privacy and security measure.
Barnard Banger - Text by Mike Miller
Interstellar craft transporting volatiles to distant systems.
Bernal Sphere - Text by Steve Bowers and Dagon
A rotating spherical space habitat
Body Armour - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Body armour developed early as protective suits made of such materials as leather, shells, wood, and basketwork, later supplemented by metal and synthetic materials.
Boltzmann Machine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Stochastic neural network systems that are capable of learning hidden structure in data.
Brainstorm - Text by Todd Drashner
Semi-legal drug occasionally used by baselines/near- baselines seeking to solve a complex problem without the assistance of an ai.
Bubblehabs - Text by Stephen Inniss, With additional material by Tardigrada 2021
Artificial habitats that float in a planetary atmosphere, such as a cytherian, neptunian or jovian world.
Capacitors - Text by Stephen Inniss
A capacitor or condenser is a passive electronic component consisting of a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric (non-conductor). Advanced designs allow capacitors to act as potent energy storage devices.
Carapace Armor - Text by Todd Drashner and 'Total Annihilation'
Middle Information Age to early Interplanetary Age light combat armor consisting of layers of synthetic chitin and diamondoid plating over an underlayer of kevlar and arachnoweave.
Caving Drone - Text by Tom Mazanec
Remote Cave Exploration Technology
Cellular Automaton - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A vir dynamic system that is composed of an array of cells.
Ceramic Engineering - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on the original by Robert J. Hall
The science and technology of the processing of ceramic materials.
Chameleon Suit - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; minor additions by Stephen Inniss
Full-body stealth suit covered in specialized interlinked mesobots and nanobots that form an Optical Phased Array
Chemical Engineering - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on the original by Robert J. Hall
The macro-, micro-, meso- or nano-scale chemical conversion of raw materials into such end products as bioplastoids, synthetic petroleum products, dumb (macroscale) detergents, plastics, natural and synthetic fuels, pharmaceuticals, fullerenes, hardcopy paper, and industrial chemicals. While most products can be easily synthesized with any household nanofab, chemical engineering is still important in the mass-production of large quantities of material in large chemical plants.
Chemical Plant - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Complex for the industrial output of chemical elements.
Chemicanalyzer - Text by Tom Mazanec
Handheld chemical analysis tool.
Chemosynthesis - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Primary production of organic matter using various substances and chemical reactions instead of light as an energy source; a common phenomenon throughout the galaxy, but rare in terragen ecologies.
Chromatoclothes - Text by Mike Parisi
"Smart" clothing that mimics the chromatophore firing patterns of certain species (most notably Bitenic Squids) that use chromatophores for communications.
Cimri - Text by Anders Sandberg
Kitchen MRI tool, used to check temperature, texture and juiciness of food by nuclear magnetic resonance.
Clone - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A biological organism asexually reproduced or bionanonically copied from another cell or genome or a template thereof. A clone is genetically identical to its original.
Cluetab and Cluedriver - Text by Thorbørn Steen
A common method for fastening surfaces together.
Cognitive Diuretic - Text by John B
A 'rebranding' of so-called 'truth' drugs such as sodium pentathol.
Computer - Text by Avengium
A computation device, which may be sentient or non-sentient. AIs can be either sentient computers, or complex systems residing in the RAM of computers. Without computers, galactic civilization would be impossible.
Crack - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Dumb, smart, or turingrade software that permits the user to penetrate a program or system even without a password. Often illegal but difficult to enforce, because of the ease by which such programs can be copied (a few are even self-replicating).
Cycler - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A cycler is a ship or mobile habitat that travels continuously along an orbit or interstellar route in such a way that it makes a regular series of rendezvous with other stations, orbitals, planets, or stars along the way. Cyclers may be small or large, sparse or luxurious, slow or fast. They may be interplanetary (also called an Aldrin Cycler) or interstellar (also called a Schroeder Cycler), and may be completely passive (simple ballistic orbit) or may have course-correction drive units.
Direct Neural Interface (DNI) - Text by Ad Astra, updated by Ryan B
Ubiquitous technological implant for connecting a sophont's brain to their exoself, the Net, nearby artifacts, and other beings.
Ear, The - Text by John B
"The Ear" is used by baselines to indicate if they are under surveillance by active sensors or via active transmissions.
Evolutionary Algorithm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A computer program that simulates the processes biological evolution; a problem-solving system that use computational models of evolution as key elements of design. All alife, evolutionary ai and aioids, and self-evolving virchworlds are determined by evolutionary algorithms.
Fan Matrix - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Mesoscale fan array.
Firewall - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Software, hardware, or firmware that protects an AI, program, or agent from attack.
Firmware - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Software encoded into the hardware or wetware. Programming involves replacing the circuitry or chips or implants. Many simple bots, nanites, and simple bioborg modules and wetware applications are based on firmware.
Fossil Fuel - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Naturally-occurring, energy-rich carbon-based substance, such as shale, petroleum, coal, or natural gas, in a Gaian Type world's crust that was formed from ancient organic material. During the Industrial, Atomic, and early Information ages on Old Earth fossil fuels were burned in a criminally negligent manner, resulting in drastic climate change and ecological crisis that was only repaired during the late Interplanetary Age.
Friendzines - Text by Tony Jones
A form of electronic media, not entirely unrelated to the madvert, but rather more benevolent, they are a combination of electronic magazine, news source and companion, combining an expert system optimized towards research and information storage with another expert system tooled towards interpersonal interaction with a specific user.
Fullairs - Text by AI Vin
Airborne arcologies supported by warm air. A variety of bubblehab.
Fullerene - Text by Stephen Inniss
Any molecule composed entirely of carbon, in the form of a hollow sphere, ellipsoid, or tube, as opposed to forms of carbon such as graphite or diamond which make extended networks that lead to crystals, or to amorphous forms of carbon such as soot.
Fusion Reactor - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Power generation through the release of heat through a controlled nuclear fusion reaction.
Gauss Gun - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A generic term for kinetic weapon that uses a magnetic charge to accelerate a projectile.
Geckotech - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Use of nanoscale hairs (setae) to provide adhesion by Van der Waals forces.
Genetic Algorithm - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhumanist Terminology
Any algorithm which seeks to solve a problem by considering numerous possibilities at once, ranking them according to some standard of fitness, and then combining ("breeding") the fittest in some way. In other words, any algorithm which imitates natural selection.
Ghost Interface (alias Washu pad) - Text by Peter Kisner
Device in which the computer holographically projects an interface screen in some area near the user. The screen can be "touch" sensitive, with the computer monitoring phalangial position in relation to the projected image, or view-screen and "keyboard" can be separate projections. Ghost interfaces are usually activated either by a command word or easy hand gesture.
Gimbaled Sentry Weapon Platform - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Robotic weapon consisting of a base, gimbal joint, warhead, sensor suite, and control systems such as an inbuilt ai.
Groundborne Independent Quadrobile (GIQ) - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Ground transport with four independently powered wheels.
Hand-held Lasers - Text by Luke Campbell
Handheld laser weapons have long been used in combat situations on planetary surfaces and elsewhere.
HOGfoot Wheels - Text by Johnny Yesterday
a robotic appendage design that enables agile rolling-based locomotion and, in conjunction with legs, walking, running, and climbing.
Hotpoint - Text by Todd Drashner
Fusion generators used for illumination and energy generation in Haloist and Backgrounder habitats.
Hydroponics - Text by AI Vin
A soil-less method of plant cultivation using water.
Intelligent Agent - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An autonomous software program or very simple ai (usually turingrade but sometimes only subturingrade) that performs a function on its own, such as searching the Known Net for information based on certain criteria.
Kessler Syndrome - Text by Lemuria
An event in which local space around a celestial body is polluted by a large amount of debris, damaging or destroying any habs, ships or other artififacts in orbit. Often, when space debris strikes an object, the object partially or completely fragments into more space debris, sometimes causing a chain reaction and worsening the problem.
Knowbot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Knowledge robot, a data miner or intelligent search agent, a type of software-only aioid, instructed by users to scan networks for various kinds of related information, regardless of the language or form in which it expressed. May be turing or subturing grade.
Lagrange Magshield, The - Text by Steve Bowers
Interplanetary Age concept, which was developed from research into magsails and Ram-assisted magscoops.
Laser - Text by Stephen Inniss
Any device that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons.
Leg Wheels - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Hybrid devices using both legs/limbs and wheels.
Lofstrom Loop - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhuman Terminology
Dynamic launch loop using a continuous stream of linked magnetic units to raise payloads above the atmosphere for launch.
Lorrey Loop - Text by Steve Bowers
Advanced form of Lofstrom Loop using three geostationary terminii in orbit at the points of an equilateral triangle, and three ground terminii opposite them, connected by a stream of vessels or particles which travel in Hofmann orbits (except when in the atmosphere), thereby saving energy.
Mecha - Text by Steve Bowers
Humanoid Armoured Fighting Vehicle, basically a manned walking weapons platform used in fighting sports. Can range from an armoured exoskeleton only slightly larger than the occupant, to an excessively large construct the size of a skyscraper.
Mega Factory - Text by Rhea47
Large scale, often deliberately anachronistic manufactory units which do not use nanofab technology
Mitebot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Microscopic or near-microscopic organic or mechanical robot, usually arachnid-like in form. Similar to a gnatbot except that it crawls rather than flies.
MultiModal Personal Rapid Transport - Text by Steve Bowers
Otherwise known as People Pods, these small vehicles can utilise a number of different modes.
Nanite - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; amended by Stephen Inniss and Ryan B
Generic term for a molecular or nanoscale device, whether bionano or hylonano; a cluster of reactive nanoparticles.
Nanomachine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Pran Mukherjee
Generic term for a microscopic or molecular mechanical (non-biotic) device, for example a hylonanite or nanobot. It is important to note that nanomachines (and indeed nanites in general) do not have to be nanoscale; they may simply be microscale machines that can manipulate nanoscale objects.
neoSQuID - Text by John B, additional comments by Steve Bowers
New Superconducting Quantum Interference Device - a device which is capable of nanometer-resolution of microvolt discharges over a meter distance, or better.
Net - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Distributed network of processing nodes, data-storage and distribution faculties, and virtual environments. See also Local Net, Known Net.
Nuclear Reactor - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A power plant that uses controlled atomic fission or fusion to generate energy.
Nuclear Weapons, Fourth Generation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Fission and fusion explosives intermediate between chemical and conventional nuclear devices in yield.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion - Text by AI Vin
Extraction of energy from the oceans of planets with oceans of any kind, such as Gaian or Panthalassic worlds
Operating System, o/s, os - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any software program that manages and provides a variety of services to application programs, including user interface facilities and management of input-output and memory devices. Operating systems are usually nonturing or subturing, more rarely dedicated turing or superturing, more rarely still (e.g. in ISOs) hyperturing.
Optical Computer - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A computer that processes information using light instead of electrons. Each stream of photons represents an independent sequence of data, thereby providing extremely massive parallel computation. Nanooptical computers can use a single photon as a bit.
Overcharge - Text by John B
This is a deliberately destructive biostimulant cocktail designed to greatly amplify the capabilities of the baseline body. It is often considered to be the 'last gasp' of the pure baseline warrior concept.
Pacman Miner - Text by James Ramsay and Steve Bowers
Asteroid Mining Ships.
Pencomp - Text by John B and Todd Drashner
Networked processing device allegedly very popular in the period leading up to the Technocalypse, and definitely for some time thereafter.
Photoelectrochemical Cell - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Generic term for a wide range of cheap and easily fabricated, flexible photovoltaic device based on nanocrystalline materials and conducting polymer films, that provide a very high efficiency ratio of conversion of sunlight to electrical power. Widely used in many space habitats and for ground-based planetary power production for remote habitats and instruments.
Photonics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on a list by Robert J. Hall
The study of the control of photons, especially for the transmission of information. Includes technology such as lasers, laser amplifiers, fiber optic cables, light-conducting buckytubes, light emitters, sensors and imaging systems of all sorts, charge-coupled devices, optical communication systems, holography, phased array optics, optical computers, and all types of optical data storage systems.
Pivoting Aerodyne Utility Bot - Text by Johnny Yesterday
General-purpose flying robotic platform.
Plastic (material) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; some additions by Stephen Inniss
A synthetic or semi-synthetic amorphous solid material, typically a polymer of high molecular weight made with monomers organic compounds that may be natural or synthetic in origin.
QED Fusion Reactor - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, Inspired by an entry in the Lunar Institute of Technology
The electrostatic fusion reactor first suggested by Robert Bussard of 20th century Old Earth (C.E.), uses fusion fuel confined by a spherical voltage potential well of around 100,000 volts. It makes an excellent, and fairly low tech (late Information Age / early Interplanetary Age equivalent) light power plant, that it can be used as part of a basic high thrust to weight ratio propulsion system for spacecraft and aircraft. Basic propulsion versions have a specific impulse of between 1500 and 6000 sec.
Quadrail Gaussrifle - Text by From an original article by Michael Boncher
Rugged and flexible ballistic weapon with smooth bore or caged barrel versions.
Quantum Channel - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, from original in Richard Baker and David Dye's Ad Astra
Secure communication established through the production and detection of polarized photons.
Quantum Cryptography - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhuman Terminology
A system based on quantum-mechanical principles. Eavesdroppers alter the quantum state of the system and so are detected.
Qubit - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A "quantum bit," used in quantum computing. Quantum mechanics allows for a qubit to be both zero and one at the same time, and hence to store two possible numbers (zero and one) simultaneously. N qu-bits store 2^N possible numbers, thus is able to perform 2^N possible solutions to a problem simultaneously. This is what gives the quantum computer its enormous power. Measurement is via quantum decoherence, which causes the qubit to collapse into a standard binary state of either zero or one.
Railgun - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A ship or vehicular mounted kinetic weapon that uses magnetic fields to accelerate a shell at very high velocity
Ratbot - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
The earliest type of practically usable and self-governed bot known to the terragens. It emulates some aspects of terragen rodents.
Reality Room - Text by Todd Drashner and Stephen Inniss
Imaging and entertainment technology in use during the 4th and 5th centuries AT.
Recombinant DNA - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Basic primitive technique used in gengineering, dating back to early Information Age Old Earth. It involves cutting the DNA into discrete segments, and then recombining the segments to form new genes. The recombinant DNA molecule is then inserted into a cell.
Retroism - Text by Anders Sandberg
Retrotechnological movement during the Expansion Era, a counter-dependent reaction to Keterism.
Robot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; some additional material by Stephen Inniss
A programmable, non-sophont device, agent, or expert system with a physical body
Rotovator - Text by Steve Bowers
Device for transferring cargo or passengers from the atmosphere or near surface of a planet to outer space.
RV-5 Transport Vehicle - Text by M. Alan Kazlev inspired by entry by Kevin Self
Robust and popular Federation era all-environment wheeled vehicle used by extraterrestrial mining and exploration teams. The RV-5 carried four crew and a limited amount of cargo, and came with turingrade expert systems and pilots. Both electric and hydrogen fuel cell versions were available. Variants on the design remained common for centuries on many middle region, frontier and less developed worlds.
Scanning Probe Microscope - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An atomic and information age microscope-manipulator that allowed researchers to see individual atoms and molecules. The device was fitted with a fine point that allowed it to push atoms or molecules around on a surface. A precursor to nanotech.
Scion - Text by Stephen Inniss
A partial or full copy of a sophont, using the same substrate as the original.
Sea Of Logic Machine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on KurzweilAI
A computer or information processor constructed only of NOR gates. Many aioids are constructed as a sea-of-logic machines.
Self-Propulsive Tethers - Text by Steve Bowers
Satellites which are joined by tethers orbiting any world with a magnetic field will generate electrical power by passing through the lines of magnetic force; this energy can be used to power ion thrusters for example and thereby power rotating tether systems, amongst other uses.
Self-Repairing Clothing - Text by Steve Bowers and Juan Ochoa
Smart, active clothing which rejects dirt and repairs moderate damage.
Semi-Conscious Intelligence (SI) - Text by John B
An early attempt at artificial intelligence, SI's were emulations of consciousness before the derivation of a sentience algorithms, based on statistical models and broad sampling databases.
Sentience Algorithms - Text by John B and Pran Mukherjee
The flow of steps which, when followed, allow an organized system to develop and maintain a degree of sentience. The underpinning of ai design. Required massive (at the time) neural nets or even more massive emulations thereof on hardware, state vector machines, and other information age new technology, being massively parallel (capable of running many many tasks simultaneously, or at least appearing to be able to do so to an outside observer.)
Shellworlds - Text by Michael Beck, amended by Tardigrada 2021
Worlds with several concentric habitable layers.
Shoulder Laser - Text by Steve Bowers
Shoulder mounted laser weapon, designed to acquire targets independently while still remaining under the user's control.
Simmball - Text by Steve Bowers
Gimballed Motion virtual reality simulator rig.
Smart Dust - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Scattered meso- or nano- bots used as an invisible surveillance device.
Solar and Microwave Passive Propulsion - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Sail propulsion using reflected photon pressure.
SpamShield - Text by John B
Any program used to protect against messages that contain unwanted information or memetic manipulation. The SpamShield can be set to several modes, depending on the region and the user's level of tolerance. The most common modes are 'off', 'reword' or 'delete'.
Squirt Guns - Text by Michael Boncher
Liquid spray weapons.
Stanford Torus - Text by Steve Bowers
An ancient design for smaller orbital habs that is widespread in the current age.
Surgicon - Text by Ryan B
Ancient and highly versatile medical/augmentation technology, also known as a HealStrip, Corrector and Active-Dressing.
Synthetic Parents (Parental Vecs) - Text by Steve Bowers
Synthetic human parents intended to raise children born in distant colonies.
Tablet - Text by Todd Drashner
Standard late Information and early Interplanetary Age baseline-friendly microtech communications, text, and Net interface device
Thruster Pack - Text by Todd Drashner
A compact propulsion unit used for individual operations in free-fall environments.
Tracked Centrifuge - Text by Wesley Bruce
System used on low-gee worlds to acclimatise individuals to higher or lower gravity regimes.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - Text by Loopquanta
Non-invasive neural interfacing using magnetic fields.
Transistor - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original by Ray Kurzweil
A switching and/or amplifying device using semiconductors, first created in 1948 by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley of Bell Labs (pre-singularity Old Earth). These atomic age devices were soon superseded. During the early to middle Information age molectronic and nanotransistors were developed, thus enabling extremely dense and fast rates of computation.
Triphibious - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A vehicle that is able to travel on or under water, on land, and in the air. Triphibious vehicles are very popular on Pacifica.
Vac Trains - Text by Todd Drashner
Fast train transport in evacuated tubes to reduce atmospheric resistance.
Vat-Tech - Text by Stephen Inniss
Information Age technology for creating useful materials from cell cultures.
Vertical Skyhooks and Static Orbital Rings - Text by Mike Miller
Orbiting structures that extend above, and below, their centres of gravity.
Virtual Robots (Vots) - Text by Ryan B (Rynn)
Virtual Robots