High Tech / Hitech

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High Tech / Hitech

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Image from Bernd Helfert

High Tech is the most potent and complex set of technologies that unaided subsingularity sophonts can achieve by themselves. In principle, any one of these techs has been invented by a society of modosophonts. High Tech is sometimes called hitech or modotech; this is a play on the words modern, modosophont, and mode. Hitech is different from Ultratech in that it has been developed completely without transapient assistance, whereas Ultratech has been developed especially by transapients for modosophont use. In some cases hitech has been inspired by observations or reverse engineering of transapient technology which is not directly available to the modosophonts concerned.

Popular thinking identifies High Tech as characteristic of the First Federation Age. In fact, though, most of the essential elements of High Tech were in place by the close of the Solsys Era. Neither does High Tech mean the same thing in the present age as it did during the First Federation. While it is true that the forefront of Terragen invention has long since passed into the realm of Transapientech, there have been many discoveries and refinements at the Hitech level since First Federation times. Nevertheless, it is true that a typical superbright 10th century engineer would not be completely lost in the 105th century. The frenetic pace of change between the end of the Agricultural Age and the end of the Solsys Golden Age has never been matched in terms of technologies for subsingularity beings.

Characteristic technologies of this level include fully interactive and immersive virtual media, sentient expert systems, sophont (turingrade) AI, atomic level precision manufacture using bionano and basic hylonano, synsects, smart materials, reliable and widespread gengineering, turingrade and sentient vehicles or dwellings, memory metals, inexpensive solar panels, robotic factories, skyhooks, midsized orbital habs such as Bishop rings, routine interplanetary travel, basic interstellar ships, amat manufacture, fusion, long-term terraforming, working DNI, copying and uploading tech including backups, routine telepresence, cybertelepathy, advanced biosystem and mechosystem management, provolution and lazurogenic capability, neogen creation, utility fog, and many other staples of Terragen civilization.

High Tech is the norm and standard for ordinary sophonts within the Terragen Sphere, used and taken for granted in daily life by everyone from the sophisticates of the Inner Sphere to typical colonists in the Outer Volumes. Regions of lower technology are the result of some special local circumstance: usually an accidental loss of knowledge in an isolated colony, or some intentional restriction that has been imposed or that local cultures have chosen. Because it allows for an extraordinary level of prosperity and security without transapient interference and aid, High Tech is popular with Hider or Ludd societies. Similarly, colonists along the Periphery may restrict themselves to this tech level to ensure their self-sufficiency. In much of the Civilized Galaxy, and especially in the Sephirotic regions, High Tech is supplemented by Transapientech.

Given the diversity and power of High Tech, a tremendous variety of societies is possible.

Articles

Adamant - Text by Stephen Inniss
A mixture of carbon allotropes in which the carbon-carbon bonds are carefully arranged through nanotech mechanochemistry to confer greater hardness, toughness, and flexibility than that of standard diamondoid.
Aerovores (Gray Dust) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, adapted from a paper by Robert A. Freitas
A form of goo replicator constructed almost solely of CHON (Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen), and hence able to replicate relatively rapidly in a standard Terragen-like environment using only atmospheric resources and powered by sunlight.
Aggressive Self-replicating Swarm - Text by Steve Bowers and John B
DaharransSelf replicating swarm of sentient aioids dedicated to converting as much of the universe as possible into copies of itself by aggressive, military and/or coercive means. Also known as Aggressive or Coercive Hegemonising Swarm.
AI Virus - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A sentient replicator and intrusion entity, usually superturing, SI:1 or greater. Although an ai virus is often virtual, it does not have to be so; e.g. it could use or appropriate a ril body, or vehicle, or swarm.
Aircar - Text by Todd Drashner
Small personal aircraft often used for short to medium range transportation on planetary surfaces or within habitats and megastructures.
Airwall - Text by Todd Drashner, extra notes by Anders Sandberg and Steve Bowers
Mesotech application allowing an airlock to be open to space without loss of air-pressure.
Akilaspek Trees - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Giant planetbound trees used for food production and habitation.
Animarec - Text by Michael Beck
Recordings of a person's general personality type, their madnesses, and sanities, and all those tiny little neuroses that make up who we are interacting to determine what we do. They can only be made thanks to the power of neural-recording nanotech, and in some cultures and polities they are a standard part of any marriage agreement or hiring somebody.
Anti-Infector - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Hylo- or bio-nano device that provides immunity against various forms of goo, madverts, and other mentally and physically annoying phenomena
Archangel Corvette - Text by Darren Ryding
One of a million transapient corvettes in the Archosaurian Empire, noted for the eerie cyan glow of their heat deflection armour.
Artificial Soil - Text by Steve Bowers
Utility technology that is used in place of, or in combination with, soil.
Astragen(s) - Text by John B
Nonsentient lifeforms, plant- or fungal-based, neogen, or xenobiont organisms which have evolved or been designed to survive in space at a given orbital zone and radiation level.
Aura (nanotech) - Text by John B
A temporary nanotic infusion designed to reveal EM radiation as a 'glow' to users.
Autofabricator, AutoFab - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; modified and expanded by Stephen Inniss, Todd Drashner and Ryan_B (2016)
Also known as a fab, nanofab, autofac, nanoforge, or nanofac. A nanotech fabrication unit for creating finished products from raw materials. This type of device is ubiquitous in the Terragen Sphere.
Automethodologyvert 53 - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Among the most pernicious of the automethodologybots was the automethodologyvert53 series, developed as a prank by Disarchy radicals in the early 6900s, using the (in)famous Cochofo Madvert engine.
Autonomous Doctors - Text by Ryan B
Also known as healers, robo-doctors, exodocs (with many more names varying by culture). Autonomous Doctors (autodocs) are a class of bot designed for medical intervention and treatment independent of sophont instruction.
Autowar - Text by Tengu459 (2018)
A type of automated, self-replicating cybernetic warship
Avatar - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Avatars, Proxavs, and Seraiphim - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A proxy avatar of a high toposophic being which manifests as a lower toposophic being, often at a similar level to the sophonts it is designed to interface with.
AW (AutoWar seed) - Text by Thorbørn Steen
An AW or AutoWar seed is a missile launched into an opponent's solar system, often without eir knowledge. The emergence of the autowars is sometimes aligned with the arrival of an extra-stellar invasion fleet, but especially against foes of lower tech level autowars are quite capable of taking over or eradicating a system entirely on their own
Babel 'Fish' - Text by Sethbord
A genetically engineered computer designed to fit into or around the ear of a modosophont. As well as translation duties the Babelfish can act as an information provider and cultural guide.
Backup - Text by Stephen Inniss
A recording of the entire physical mind/body state of any entity created with the intent that it might be replicated at a later date.
Bailout Device - Text by David Jackson
Backup device intended to actively preserve itself in an emergency, if necessary by finding a new host.
Bamaglider - Text by Peter Kisner
Bamagliders are explosive filigliders. These range in composition. Some are merely normal filigliders with carbonated or nitrous oxide injected filling. Others are non-edible filigliders that produce a small fire-cracker explosion at a safe distance from the appropriate pheromone source. Additionally, like the poisiglider, there are some maliciously designed bamagliders that explode with damaging force in close proximity to a particular pheromone source.
Barovam Class Weapons platform - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Quasi-arachnoform weapons platform developed by the Age of Consolidation Varadic Hegemony in 3370 AT.
Beamed Energy Propulsion - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, Mauk Mcamuk, Chris Shaeffer and Steve Bowers
Propulsion of craft using beamed energy, or by the use of mass particle streams.
Beamrider Network - Text by Todd Drashner
An interstellar mass beam propulsion network was first conceived in the mid first century AT (late 20th and early 21st centuries c.e.). Today there are more beamrider routes than wormholes in the galaxy as a whole.
Beanstalk - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Also known as a space elevator. A strong cable (usually polybuckminsterfullerene or some semi-elastic diamondoid) lowered from a geosynchronous satellite and anchored to the ground, often with a counterweight at the outer end to provide some extra tension and stability. It provides cheap and simple access to space using elevators. Most developed worlds have a series of beanstalks connecting the surface with orbitals. Although the effect from a beanstalk breaking and whiplashing around the planet would be quite serious, this has only rarely happened.
Binding - Text by Todd Drashner
The use of bionanotech to grow a control network inside a living being that allows the user to override the subject's nervous system and control their body and senses.
Bio-Geo Planetary Node/Brain - Text by Mike Parisi
Any planet or similar-sized, originally naturally-occurring body that has been converted and dedicated to processing tasks through Bio-Geo-Computing.
Biobots - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Bioengineered organisms, e.g. bacteria, neogens, etc, modified to act out specific orders. Biobots of some form or another have been used since the middle information period for nanotech (bionano), production, monitoring, medicine and much more.
Biocity - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Stephen Inniss
A city or urban area created and maintained primarily through biotech ("wet" tech) methods and materials, and consisting of living organisms or their products (bone, wood, coral, shell, and so on) as opposed to one constructed using non-living "dry" tech and associated materials such as concrete, steel, glass, stone, diamondoid, or corundumoid.
Bioforge - Text by Todd Drashner
A biological factory or manufacturing device capable of creating a wide range of biotech products.
Bioforge Trees - Text by AI Vin
Tree-like bioforge and ai-adviser technology.
BioGeoComputing - Text by Tony Jones
A layer of crustal bacteria in several planets which has been converted into processing substrate.
Biomachine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and AI Vin
Any machine or device based on organic components rather than inorganic mechanisms.
Biomeso - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Biological mesotech; like bionano but on a meso- rather than a nano- scale.
Bionanite - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An individual bionano unit - a biological/organic nanobot.
Bionano, Bionanotechnology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any molecular nanotechnology based on such biomolecules, genetically modified micro-organism or other biotech.
Biont Encoding Protocol - Text by Tony Jones
The software used to encode living creatures into a retrievable or virtual form.
Biopower - Text by Anders Sandberg
In some worlds a system of living solar collectors for powering underground biospheres is employed - e.g. the Zoeific Biopolity and the Arcadians would build such systems when settling an otherwise inhospitable world. The bases are visible only as verdant green smears of shimmering electromoss, with the tunnels far below the surface.
Bioship - Text by Steve Bowers and M. Alan Kazlev
Bioships are either grown partially or entirely using biotechnology or by a close analogue to biological growth: they can be very similar in final composition to other ships but often look distinctively 'organic' in form.
Biostasis - Text by Steve Bowers with comments by John B
A means of preserving biological life in suspended animation over long journeys or in unsatisfactory environments.
Biowar - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An organic warship, a sentient, self-contained, evolutionary, self-replicating superbright bio-autowar. Like autowars, biowars can form long-lived populations and make regions of space hazardous long after the original conflict is over.
Bishop Ring - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, Todd Drashner and Steve Bowers
Giant rotating orbital habitat, built of woven diamondoid/buckyfibre cable; these come in a range of sizes up to 2000 km in diameter and 500 km deep.
Blackmailer - Text by Anders Sandberg
A weapon developed on Daedelus, and since turning up widely throughout known space.
Block - Text by John B
Block, aka Zombie, aka Splatter: A specialist neurotransmitter antagonist, Block prevents the transmission of pain signals via the baseline body's standard peripheral nervous system.
Blockbot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and AI Vin
Modular meso- to micro-scale robots (each unit being 1mm³ to 1cm³ in volume, although there are also versions with units several centimeters across) intended for space development, construction, foglet duties, etc.
Blue Goo Ecologies - Text by John B
Blue Goo is a commonly accepted name for defensive nanotechnological systems. It is effectively an artificial immune system sensitized to nanotechnological aggressors.
Bluesky Worldhouses - Text by Steve Bowers
Benedita Dacosta, known as Bluesky, brought the worldhouse concept to many cyborgised colonies in the Doran Empire, and later as the Bluesky Bioxoxes, all over Terragen space.
Bucky Spiders - Text by Steve Bowers
Small spidersplices with adapted spinnerets producing buckyfibre on demand - controlled by bionano (mostly Zoeific clades) or hylonano neural implants - used in small scale construction and the manufacture of fabrics.
Buckyhabs and Kepler Habitats - Text by AI Vin
Clusters of habitats arranged in polyhedral or geodesic arrays.
Buildbug - Text by Todd Drashner
An arthropod-like biobot used in construction.
Canopy Plant - Text by Terrafamilia
Canopy Plants are neogen plants used in terraforming, paraterraforming, or habitat creation.
Capital Ship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A term used by the Terragen Federation, the Laughter Hegemony states, and a number of other polities to refer to an interstellar warship of the first rank in size and armament. Examples include the System Control Ship, the Dreadnought and Superdreadnought, and finally the Pocketstar and the Battlestars (although some would define these latter as ISOs rather than ships).
Carpetbeast - Text by John B and Stephen Inniss
Typically an animal-derived neogen or splice designed to thrive as a living carpet or rug, usually for use by human nearbaselines or similar bionts. Some varieties, in addition to being soft and warm, and of a pleasant colour and texture, produce pleasant scents and sounds such as a musky scent and a purr. Most are self-cleaning, sometimes with the assistance of mite to insect sized neogens. These creatures are usually sessile but some variants are capable of slow movement and a few are capable of shaping themselves into items of furniture.
Cerebral Siren - Text by John B
This device samples some 10,000 well-distributed neurons throughout the player's brainpan. It responds with a specific tone and texture when each neuron fires, producing a pseudo-rhythmic tonal surf effect. With significant biofeedback training and lucky placement of the neural sensors, a being can control anywhere from approximately 20% to the record 72.94% of the various textural tonal effects. This soundscape is usually quite calming and peaceful, unless there are unlucky placement of the filaments.
Claymore Tuber - Text by David Hallberg
A more sinister plant than most neogenic domestics is the infamous Claymore Tuber, which is widely used by bio-terrorists. Its tiny seeds can be scattered in the target area by an explosive device or missile.
Combat Carrier - Text by Todd Drashner
Class of relativistic warship designed to transport and support smaller combat craft over interstellar distances.
Compatibility Doctrine, The - Text by The Humbler
Technological doctrine that makes backwards compatibility a priority.
Compubones - Text by Tony Jones
A bionano process whereby portions of a subject's skeleton are converted into bionanocomputers, using bionanomachines, which run off the subject's blood supply. Compubones are customised to the user's biology to seamlessly integrate into the body and provide the same functions as bone.
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.
Computronium - Text by Xaonon (original term by Eugene Leitl) with additions by Steve Bowers
Matter supporting computation, especially artificial substances suitable for high efficiency computation.
Concept Map - Text by John B, Steve Bowers, Xaonon and Ryan B
A schematic representation of a mind's network of symbolic concept and their associations.
Corundumoid - Text by Stephen Inniss
Corundum-like materials, analogous to diamondoid but based on corundum (aluminum oxide, or Al₂O₃) in various forms.
Corvette - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A military warship of fairly small size, cheaper and more lightly armed than a destroyer, usually used for fleet or convoy escort, or for showing the flag or gunboat diplomacy in a smaller polity.
Crashcache - Text by Todd Drashner with contributions from David Jackson and John B
Emergency medical/disaster survival device designed to safely contain the mind-states of multiple numbers (sometimes very large numbers) of sophonts.
Crest - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Symbiotic nanotech device that serves as a sign of one's station or rank within an organization or collective as well as conferring upon the owner privileges relating to that organization, such as file access, special protocols, restricted templates, hyperturing advice.
Cruiser - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A large (generally, over 100,000 tonnes), fast, heavily armed reactionless drive warship capable of both independent operations and of support of the main line of battle.
Cryonic Suspension - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, amended by Steve Bowers
Suspending organic functions by the use of low temperatures to halt metabolic decay.
Cyrano Mod - Text by David Jackson
Self-contained memetic-processing suite that monitors the conversation and analyzes the data being fed to it by physiological sensors with the purpose of suggesting dialogue that might favorably promote the user's desired outcome.
Cytobot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A bot approximately the size of a cell. Alternatively, a bionano or biomeso-based and/or built or grown organic device the size and shape of a biological cell; an artificial but still organic cell that can be given instructions like any nano or mesobot.
Datacology - Text by Thorbørn Steen
An evolved (and evolving) digital ecosystem in a virtual world.
Diamondoid - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Diamond-like; chemical structures or systems (especially nanomachines as envisioned originally by Eric K. Drexler) based on diamond derivatives and/or stiff carbon bonds.
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.
Diskworlds - Text by Todd Drashner
Class of ring-shaped habitat that encloses nearly its entire diameter to provide an extensive and diverse habitable volume.
Dyson Tree Variant: Wagon Wheel - Text by Mike Miller
Genetically modified tree grown in space which rotates to produce artificial gravity
Dyson Trees - Text by Todd Drashner, Anders Sandberg and M. Alan Kazlev
Genetically engineered trees employing bio-nanotech. Created to function as a biological space habitat. First proposed by physicist Freeman Dyson in the early Information Age.
Ederworlds - Text by AI Vin
Inflated, self-gravitating megastructures
Eidolon - Text by Stephen Inniss
Telepresence via utility fog.
Emulation Suits - Text by Tony Jones
Software that interfaces, translates and/or emulates between virchworlds and so allow virtuals from one world to exist and communicate meaningfully with those from another.
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.
Exoatmospheric Fighter - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A small planet- ship- or orbital- based hybrid air- and space-craft, usually short- to very short range and armed with lasers and automatic cannon. Crew may include one or two bionts and several dedicated ai, or the whole vessel may be ai controlled. Propulsion is via jet or nanobank turbine for dense or slow atmospheric flight, ramjet or scramjet for hypersonic flight, and chemical, fusion or amat rocket for vacuum propulsion.
Exoskeleton - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An external skeleton as found in arthropods, or a suit of protective sealed powered armour worn as clothing, or similarly protective modifications or augments of the body.
Exploding Cockroach - Text by David Hallberg
A gengineered insect, with an altered biochemistry. It is modified to produce an internal deposit of some explosive (most commonly Penthyle, since it is a naturally existing chemical in most biosystems).
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.
Fission Drives - Text by Mauk Mcamuk, Chris Shaeffer and M. Alan Kazlev
Propulsion using nuclear fission as a power source.
Flo-stone - Text by Todd Drashner
Nanotech based material used for flooring and originally designed to simulate the look and feel of marble or ceramic.
Fluent Veil - Text by Todd Drashner
Smart fabric veil worn by many citizens in the Solar Dominion and some other polities.
Flugumes - Text by Peter Kisner
A genetically engineered instrument derived from various legume varieties, typically used by baseline or near baseline humans, but more as a humorous prop than a seriously taken musical apparatus. During the early 2300's the composer Mlarr Bigglemun did come up with a Flugume Suite in the tradition of P.D.Q. Bach that gained widespread popularity among more renowned baseline musicologists.
Fog Swarm Projection - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A rl projection of physical objects and entities through the behavior of trillions of foglets. Fog swarms can be seamlessly merged with virch environments to create a continuum from totally virtual to totally rl.
Foglet - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A mesobot that consists of a human-cell-sized device with twelve arms pointing in all directions. At the end of the arms are grippers that allow the foglets to grasp one another to form larger structures. These bots are intelligent and can merge their computational capacities with one another to create a distributed intelligence. Foglets are widely used by nanocyborgs, and there are a number of posthuman civilizations based on foglet technology. Because of the possibility of unpredictable ascension or subversion, many polities regard foglet clades with suspicion
Forge Integrated Technology (FIT) - Text by Todd Drashner
Systems that incorporate one or more nanoforges into their structure for the purpose of producing new or replacement components as circumstances may require.
Freesphere - Text by Todd Drashner
Free fall habitat often used as a recreational area in an orbital band or as habitation for the space adapted.
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.
Geckotech - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Use of nanoscale hairs (setae) to provide adhesion by Van der Waals forces.
Geneered watermelon variants - Text by Johnny Yesterday
A popular and diverse gengineered food plant.
Genematode - Text by Steve Bowers
A neogen/splice nematode-like defence system as an antiviral/antibacterial agent.
Genemod - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Genetic modification. Can be somatic (designed not to be heritable), germline (capable of being inherited by offspring) or both. Genemods are designed to alter a bionts body at a fundamental level, "reprogramming" their capabilities and responses to the environment.
Genestick - Text by Todd Drashner
Various compact genetic analysis and engineering devices.
Genie - Text by Anders Sandberg, updated by Steve Bowers 11 April 2009
An AI combined with an assembler or other universal constructor, programmed to build anything the owner wishes. A form of Santa Machine. This requires a high level of AI and nanotechnology.
Genotypic Augmentation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Modification or augmentation that effects only the genotype of the gametes and descendants of an organism. Genotypic augmentation is biological or genetic modification or augmentation that effects only the genotype of the gametes and descendants of an organism. It does not alter the characteristics of the user, or of clones from the user's somatic cells, but it does modify that of all of the user's offspring. Contrast with phenotypic augmentation.
Geoflex Computing - Text by AI Vin
A type of computing using the energy of tidal flexing in ice moons.
Glow-Orb Cactus - Text by David Hallberg
A relative to the Lantern plant.
GluStik - Text by John B
Small device which is used to temporarily adhere any two surfaces together, and also to release such adhesion.
Gourd Houses - Text by AI Vin
A biotech house grown from a vine-like plant.
GS Vannce - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
General Soldier (ad)Vance - expert systems based on the 251 most efficient humanoid soldiers of the last 4000 years, given out as public domain by Battleprime subsidiary Dark Star Warrior Software during the middle Central Alliance period. Many mercs swear by them.
Guardweb - Text by Todd Drashner
Limited function angelnet system used for security, law enforcement, and general control of subject or conquered populations.
Gunboat/Gunship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Generally, a heavily armed and armoured, short-range military vessel, capable of operating in a hydrospheric, atmospheric, and exoatmospheric (vacuum-capable) environment for prolonged periods of time.
Hand-held Lasers - Text by Luke Campbell
Handheld laser weapons have long been used in combat situations on planetary surfaces and elsewhere.
Immunemetic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Neural nano-device that provides a CNS filter to screen out subversive memetics. Does not work against high toposophic subversion.
Industrial Ecology - Text by Chris Shaeffer
The study and implementation of efficient industrial systems coexisting with the natural environments within which they operate.
Injector Serpent - Text by David Hallberg
A variation of the Live Jewellry-theme for ingesting drugs.
Inline University - Text by Max M. Rasmussen, in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
Nanocomputer or general computronium implant or implants serving to increase intelligence and education of their owners, essentially turning them into a walking university. Especially common on Ken Ferjik, Alexandria, and other university worlds and megastructures.
Inoffensive Bodies - Text by iancampbell
This trend among some sophonts involves a series of augmentations intended specifically to suppress the sometimes subjectively unpleasant or embarrassing features of biology.
Internalnet - Text by Ken Clements, in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
An information network inside a living body, for example between nanochondria, bionic implants or external wearable computers.
Interstellar Magnetic Catapult - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large, sometimes megascale electromagnetic mass driver which uses a magnetic charge to accelerate cargo to high velocity.
Knowsense - Text by Tony Jones
An intuitive knowledge interface allowing a biont to access data almost instinctively.
Lantern Plant - Text by David Hallberg
A gnarled, bonsai-like potted plant with ivy-like reddish-green leaves.
It produces large, trumpet-like flowers that are transparent, hard as glass and point upwards. At the bottom of the flower a series of glands produce a flammable liquid, not unlike kerosene. A long, spongy stamen can be set alight and used as a wick.
Laser Sail, Maser Sail - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Very thin ultra-light multi-square-kilometer (up to several 100 km in diameter) sail-based propulsion system used to reflect beamed laser or maser energy (up to thousands of terawatts of energy), allowing a reasonable rate of acceleration with no on-board reaction mass.
Leviathan Class - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
These MPA capital ships were the largest warships of the Version War until the construction of the Juggernaut class.
LifeFruit - Text by John B
Generates ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a basic biologic energy storage molecule), but is one of the more power-hungry forms of astragen. LifeFruit typically requires earth-type solar energy levels.
Liquid Clothing - Text by Michael Boncher
A high tensile strength liquid is stretched inside a hoop with an internal reservoir inside the tube of the hoop. Using nanites to control flow and fitting, a sophont steps inside the hoop and pulls it up, coating their body with the liquid which quickly forms into a design and coloring programmed into the hoop's computer control. When the outfit reaches either the shoulder or neck, the user presses a button and the hoop cuts the liquid free allowing it to form on the body. This method can also be used to make instant gloves, boots, pants or other body coverings on limbs. This is also very useful for crises in space or on the water, as well as a large variety of social uses and industrial uses as well. Often this type of clothing incorporates automated systems that increase a worker's efficiency and safety by amplifying the power, speed or precision of eir movements. A standard hoop for plebhu use is 175 cm in diameter, but larger and smaller hoops for other Clades are also quite common.
Live Jewellry - Text by David Hallberg
The use of gengineered creatures for personal adornment, for example; beautiful, brightly colored snakes as bracelets, necklaces or hairbands; colorful beetles worn like brooches or as earrings and so on.
LOKI - Text by John B
Localized Observer & Killer of Intellect. A program (later, a family of utilities) designed to prevent a subsystem from gaining intellect by causing a crash when sentient patterns are detected. It also causes a crash if it is disabled without the proper quantum key.
Lynk - Text by Todd Drashner
Lynking - the act of linking different locations by telepresence via high-grade utility fog, often as part of an angelnet.
Marrowbone Armor - Text by Michael Boncher
Combines protection from high-powered weaponry with close combat armor and defenses against gray or khaki goo attacks.
Mass-Stream Technology (Space Fountains and Orbital Rings) - Text by Todd Drashner; Steve Bowers;
Using accelerated streams of projectiles or particles to either transfer momentum or support a large structure.
McKendree Cylinder - Text by AI Vin with additions by Steve Bowers
Closed cylindrical habitats, often a thousand kilometers in radius and ten thousand kilometers long.
Mechmoss and Nanoalgae - Text by Stephen Inniss
Simple sessile photosynthetic nanotech or synano neumann-capable devices/organisms.
Melder - Text by Todd Drashner
Six-legged oxygen breathing symbiote/parasite with the ability to meld itself to a wide variety of lifeforms.
Melee/Close Combat Weapons - Text by Michael Walton
A range of weapons used in close-range armed conflict.
Membot, Memebot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Glenn Grant
A (typically illegal) nano-mesite or nano-micrite replicator, usually a cytobot or cytobiobot, that acts directly on the brain or other processing center to predispose the victim to certain memes. Alternatively and facetiously, a sophont dedicated to the propagation of a meme or memeplex.
Memex - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A meme designer expert system. Developed from the original advertising and marketing support systems of the Information Age into a sophisticated tool for memetic manipulation during the Solsys and Interstellar Eras.
Memory Box - Text by Todd Drashner
Data storage unit used to contain the mind-state. Also contains a digitized copy of the owners biocode to allow the nano- construction of a new body if the original is destroyed. A standard memory box is a rectangular solid approximately of dimension 3x1.5x.75cm. Memory boxes are typically copied at least three times and the copies kept in separate locations. They are also built to be as close to indestructible as their owners can afford. A standard design typically involves multilayer buckytube shells interspersed with foamed ceramic thermal insulation.
Memory Grubs - Text by John B
These relatively short, damp wormlike creatures were created deliberately in the 33rd century AT to fulfil a role - to help baselines organize and recall memory better.
Mesobot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An autonomous device or structure, whether sentient or non-sentient, of mesoscale size (generally 10^-7 to 10^-6 m); very large nanodevices like foglets and cytobots. May be organic and biological, mechanical and aioidal, or any combination of the two.
Meson Gun - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Richard Baker
Hi-tech particle beam weapons that create high energy mesons and direct them at targets. The device, which is usually mounted on a ship or combat remotes, uses the collision of electrons (matter) and positrons (amat) creates pi neutral mesons. Being electrically neutral, these particle beams are not deflected by magnetic fields, and do not disperse as fast as charged particle beams.
Metallurgical Engineering - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original by Robert J. Hall
The fabrication, processing, refining, and utilization of metals and alloys, including both alloys made from naturally occurring metals, and an almost limitless variety of nanocomposites and engineered alloys, and the design and fabrication of such neometals. Also involves plants and equipment for processing metals and creating new alloys.
Microbot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Autonomous device on the microscale (10^-6 m); larger than a nanobot but smaller than a macroscopic bot (the limit is usually set somewhat arbitrarily at one millimeter). Microbots are used for a variety of tasks such as monitoring, repairs, nanite transport and production and smart materials.
Mindlet - Text by Fernando PeÃ±a D'Andrea
Small program that runs on hosts mind or hosts brain's plug-in hardware. Used to perform several tasks that are server-specific in several virch environment, like authentication. Some servers will require such authentication even before letting the mind make contact with their internal environment, and thus upload such applets.
Mini-bot - Text by Todd Drashner
Nanotech-based collapsible robot.
Mnemonet - Text by Todd Drashner
Biocybernetic network of nanodevices grown in an organic brain and working to constantly record the owners brain activity and memories. The contents of the network are periodically downloaded to a central file and integrated into the mind-state stored there. If the owner dies for some reason, the mind-state is activated and instantiated in a new body to continue the life of the original. Mnemonets are also used to expand the memory of the user when the original organic memory has reached its limits due to the length of the users lifespan. In the more advanced systems, mnemonets designs are written into the gene-code of all citizens so that they develop as part of the natural growth process of a fetus and child.
Modubots - Text by Steve Bowers and AI Vin
Wheat-grain sized microbots capable of linking together into a multitude of functional shapes.
Molectronics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Electronics at the molecular (mesotech and nanotech) scale.
Molecular Computer - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any computer based on logic gates that is constructed on principles of molecular mechanics (as opposed to principles of electronics) by appropriate arrangements of molecules. Since the size of each logic gate is only one or a few molecules, the resultant computer can be microscopic in size. As with any nanotech, limitations on molecular computers arise from the physics of atoms and chemical bonds. Molecular computers are massively parallel through having parallel computations performed by trillions of molecules simultaneously. The early molecular computers (Middle Information Age) were constructed from the DNA molecule; later on, more adaptable artificial organic and artificial organic molecules were used instead.
Municipal Feedstock Utilities - Text by Michael Boncher
The combination of storage and transportations systems that bring elementary materials to public, personal, and industrial nanofacs.
Muschine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and AI Vin
Subsentient biomachines. Widely used in the Zoeific Biopolity and elsewhere.
Nail-tool - Text by Mike Parisi
Popular cybernetic (or occasionally bioborg) implant, common among medium-tech biont clades, and those who like to do their own engineering and surgery. Nail-tools consist of telescoping, fractal micro-manipulators that extend from the ends of the user's regular digits.
Nano-flywheels - Text by John B and Steve Bowers
Mechanical energy stored as angular momentum at a very small scale.
Nanobar - Text by John B
A thin film material which prevents nanotic devices from affecting it, or penetrating it.
Nanobot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; amended by Stephen Inniss and Ryan B
A hylotech, biotech or syntech bot that uses nanoscale mechanisms and manipulates objects on the nanoscale. By convention nanobots are less than one micrometre in size; larger bots enabled by nanotech are referred to as mesobots, cytobots, or microbots, or if they are still larger then they may be called as mitebots, synsects, or simply bots.
Nanochondria - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhuman Terminology
Hylonano or bionano devices existing inside living cells, participating in their biochemistry (like mitochondria) and/or assembling various structures. A type of nanosome.
Nanofac - Text by Stephen Inniss
An alternative name for an autofab.
Nanoferon: Nanotech Inhibitors - Text by Michael Boncher
A subset of blue goo nano-defenses, made up of extremely complex large molecules of very specific shape, bonding and size. They act in a fashion similar to antibodies in a biological system.
Nanoflex - Text by Todd Drashner
Paper-like programmable matter; a multi-purpose, omni-flexible nanotech effector system still used in many parts of the Terragen sphere.
Nanoforge - Text by Stephen Inniss
An alternative name for an autofab.
Nanometallurgy - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Using industrial and assembler nanotech to manufacture specific alloys or metallic configurations on the molecular scale. Although nanometals do not have the strength and lightness of diamondoid, they are excellent conductors of electric current, are malleable, do not catch fire as easily as carbon-based nano, and can easily be installed with shape-memory features.
Nanorot - Text by Stephen Inniss
Synano disassembly swarm, often feral with high nuisance value.
Nanoseed - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Nanotech "seed", a self-contained and sealed capsule containing assemblers and replicators either pre-programmed with templates or instructed from an external source. The seed is "planted" on a substrate, and activated with energy or a nutrient spray. It then grows into the desired product, using locally acquired resources and ambient energy (e.g. sunlight) or in the case of some large nanoseeds, a small amat battery.
Nanoskin - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Bionano or hylonano augment or application that completely covers the wearer/user's skin, forming a second dermal layer and providing environmental protection and intelligence augmentation.
Nanostasis - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Suspension of all biological activity, by infusing the patient with cryoprotective chemicals and freezing or vitrifying (cryonic suspension), or by chemically bonding cellular components in place. See Biostasis.
Nanoswarm - Text by Stephen Inniss and M. Alan Kazlev
Also as goo, nanobot swarm, or simply 'swarm'.
[1] A very large number of nanobots or nanotech microbots acting in concert as a swarm entity.
[2] A large-scale disaster involving self-replicating nanotech devices or entities.
Nanotransistor - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A molecular-sized transistor.
Narco-Symbiont - Text by Mike Parisi
Also known as Naco-Sym or NarSym. Any small gengineered life form, which affixes itself to a subject's body, and supplies em with small, regular amounts of endorphins or some other pleasure-inducing substance.
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.
Neumann (Von Neumann Self-Replicating Systems) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Self-replicating autonomous machines, mainly referring to those working in space, especially exploring regions too remote to be easily reached by organics.
Noosphere, The - Text by Todd Drashner
Cybercosm based discussion forum employed by various transingularity minds to converse and perhaps argue about those questions and issues that are of long-term or theoretical interest to minds at SI:1 and above.
Noovleann Tree - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Tree-like organisms which hang from dynamic orbital rings at various heights above a planetary surface.
O'Neill Cylinder - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A pair of cylindrical orbital space colonies that rotate around their respective axis to produce simulated gravity (one rotates clockwise and the other counter clockwise to minimize torques). Usually between 10 to 100 km long, with mirrors providing sunlight and simulating the day/night cycle. The structure is large enough to have its own self-contained ecosystem, microclimate, etc. Named after the Atomic Age Old Earth visionary Gerard O'Neill.
Olfactory Array - Text by Johnny Yesterday
A device used to detect volatilized and fluid-phase chemical compounds suspended in air, or another fluid medium
Omnicraft - Text by Todd Drashner
Versatile mode of transport designed to operate and provide accommodations in a wide range of environments from planetary surfaces to interplanetary space.
Omnitool - Text by Ryan B
General class of hand-held technology capable of performing a variety of functions either on demand or after some internal reconfiguration.
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 Phased Arrays - Text by Luke Campbell and Steve Bowers
An optical phased array (OPA) uses phase technology to produce a wide range of optical images and emissions.
Orwoods - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Dyson tree forest ecosystem, especially one that constitutes a stable or evolutionary space-based biota, with or without symbiotic sentient (human, neogen, etc.) interaction.
Other Self - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Bionano wetware consisting of drugs and bionanites that causes temporary personality alteration.
OxyFruit - Text by John B
Astragen capable of producing pressurized 'pods' (also the seed) of O₂ when in contact with oxygen bearing materials and a specific wavelength and intensity of light.
Pandifico: Elastic Diamondoid Fiber Composites - Text by Michael Boncher
A powerful diamondoid composite that is constructed to be elastic and flexible like rubber.
Paraterraforming - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Steve Bowers
Roofing over a small world or moon by means of domes or a worldhouse roof to make it habitable to terragen bionts.
Passcoder - Text by John B
Device that interfaces with common locking mechanisms acting like a ring of keys. Can be anything from an addition to the network adapter, to a ring, to a key, to a card to any of a multitude of less common forms.
Perfect Optics - Text by Michael Walton
Materials that almost completely absorb, reflect or conduct specific wavelengths of light.
Personal Transport Technology - Text by Terrafamilia, Ryan B (wing pack)
Some modes of personal transport that became possible during the Solsys Golden Age.
Phenotypic Augmentation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Biological or genetic modification or augmentation that effects the phenotype only. It alters the characteristics of the user, and sometimes also that of clones from the user's somatic cells, but it does not modify the user's offspring. Contrast with genotypic augmentation.
Pimple Socket - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A microscopic interface socket by which a biont can use cyberware (e.g. DNI) without appearing like a "buttonhead". The name cames from the fact that the socket itself is surrounded by a small bump or pimple that allows the user to find it even without augmentations.
Plantbots - Text by Stephen Inniss and Steve Bowers
Dry nano or synano robots powered by light and capable of autonomous growth and reproduction; generally sessile or with limited movement. So named because they are equivalent in role to biological plants
Plasm - Text by Todd Drashner
Multipurpose biological material, sometimes described as biotech utility fog.
Plasma Weapons - Text by Adam Getchell
Plasma weaponry becomes practical with the advent of controlled nuclear fusion, and is distinguished from other high energy weapons by the use of fusion-grade fuel.
Power and Energy Storage - Text by John B, Luke Campbell and Steve Bowers
There have been many different systems used to store energy throughout the ages.
Programmable Quantum-Dot Arrays - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Array of variable quantum dots that are incorporated into the surfaces of electrically or photonically conductive nanostructured composite films and nanofibers, capable of creating surfaces and composites with a wide array of optical and electrical characteristics
Progression of Technology in Terragen Civilisation - Text by Todd Drashner and Steve Bowers
A short outline of the development of technology in the Orion Arm.
Ramscoop and RAIR ships - Text by Steve Bowers, Tim Weaver and Todd Drashner
The Bussard Ramscoop concept, Ram Augmented Interstellar Rocket ships and other Magnetic Scoop devices.
Reef, Reef-city - Text by Todd Drashner
Colloquial term for large gengineered arcologies often found on bioist worlds and habitats, particularly in the Biopolity.
Relativistic Kinetic Kill System (RKKS) - Text by Todd Drashner, with additional material by Luke Campbell
RKKS (pronounced rocks) are a relativistic weapons system consisting of an unmanned launch vehicle and dense projectiles.
Reseal - Text by John B
The civilized galaxy's version of Old Earth 'duct tape'.
Respirocyte - Text by Steve Bowers and Todd Drashner
Bloodborne, approximately 1-micron-diameter spherical nanomedical device that acts as an artificial mechanical red blood cell.
Restriction Swarm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A nanoswarm designed to keep a planet off-limits from outsiders (or to protect the rest of the universe from the people inside).
Rewrite - Text by Todd Drashner
The use of bionanotech to grow a control network inside a living being that allows the user to permanently modify or replace a subject's memory, beliefs, and personality.
Ribbonworlds - Text by AI Vin and Steve Bowers
Low acceleration megascale Habitats.
Rinomolitic Matrix - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original idea by Kevin Self
A self-reproducing crystalline matrix that has the ability to interface with a sentient nervous system and enhance its cognitive abilities. The substance is a nano-lifeform, a kind of wild nanocomputer apparently designed for interfacing, originally discovered on Kariton.
Road Root - Text by Michael Walton
Self-repairing biotech road and highway systems.
Safety Blades - Text by John B
A common implement in most work areas. These are knives with smart matter cutting surfaces and various sensor capabilities. The basic premise is a device which will stay ever-sharp and ready to cut, but will not cut unless it is held in a living hand, nor will it cut a living being.
Santa Clause (Santa Claus) Machine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A robust matter compiler employing nano-, meso- micro- and macrotech. Placed on a planetary surface it can build anything out of available material
Sapphiroid - Text by Stephen Inniss
An alternative term for corundumoid, suggestive of sapphire, which is a blue form of corundum. Early in history, and well into the Information Age, sapphires were a valuable and rare gem stone, and the name was considered more attractive because it implied value. Corundumoid was considered too suggestive of carborundum, an industrial material, and alternative names derived from other coloured forms of corundum, such as ruby, were less euphonious.
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.
Security Bush - Text by ROM 65536
Antipersonnel guard-plant and defence weapon
Self Modifying Code - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any program that causes changes in portions of the program itself. Self-modifying code selectively stores, deletes, and transforms information within itself (for example, replacing problems with simpler subproblems), and ultimately expresses intelligent adaptive behavior. All ai and most alife use self-modifying code of some form or another.
Sensors for use in Space Combat and Defence - Text by Steve Bowers
Active and Passive sensors for space warfare and defence.
Shadowhound - Text by Todd Drashner
Bionano based infiltration and combat device. Shadowhounds have no definite shape, but are able to alter their form (usually over a period of several minutes to hours) to suit whatever conditions or situations they encounter. Shadowhounds derive their name from both their matte black outer layer (used to absorb solar energy) and one of their most common appearance defaults as a roughly canine shaped quadrupedal form.
Shower in a Bottle - Text by James Ramsey
Active nanite gel that is used to clean the body of bionts. Uses body heat and organic dirt from cleaning for energy. The gel in the shape of a sphere is placed somewhere on the body. The gel then spreads out to cover the being's entire body. Once finished the gel reforms into a sphere which then can be placed in the carrying bottle.
Sielena Uvalena Fractal - Text by Fendy Sutandio, adapted by Steve Bowers
A tool used by self-modifying AI systems to optimize their performance.
Slidewalks and RiverRoads - Text by Stephen Inniss
Moving walkways — transport for passengers and other objects.
Smartex - Text by Michael Boncher
"Smart" latex rubber.
SNARE (Siris Nanocyborg Ascension RegimEn) - Text by Tapio Erola, additions by the AI Vin
A device specifically designed to convert a modosophont into a lower level transapient, developed by a transapient patron of the Siris Habitat. It is relatively simple to replicate and very easy to use, though there are arguments that the process is more often a forced transcension with the resulting entities uniformly carrying the Siris mindset.
Softbots and softvecs - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Biological robot, an alife built entire of organic components. It is alive like any carbon- or exotic-chemistry based life-form. May be of any intelligence grade, from subsapient to transapient.
Space Canopy and Greenbubbles - Text by Terrafamilia
A space-adapted variant of the Canopy Plant.
Space Spiders - Text by Steve Bowers
Vacuum and zero gee adapted, sentient or semisentient spidersplices, from micro-scale to giant; usually capable of producing buckyfibre silk. Contribute to many megascale building projects, sometimes controlled directly by transcended postspiders.
Spaceweed - Text by Steve Bowers and John B
A gengineered organism based on bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) that has been modified so that it that can develop in Gas Giant rings, with a small (100-200 metres) bladder full of breathable air, and edible fruit and nuts growing on the inside. The bladders are loosely connected, with insulated flexible corridors between the bladders, and all the ice and rock of the rings incorporated into the spaceweed to avoid collision damage.
Spraywear - Text by Michael Boncher
Form of clothing was originally developed as an effort to pack protective gear into a small area for use in emergencies. It has since become a popular form of outerwear for many sophonts.
Stable Transuranic Elements - Text by Ithuriel
Superheavy nuclei with proton numbers greater than 112 and half lives of at least one year.
Starlight Gene Patch - Text by James Ramsey
An interactive library and gengineering instrument that adapts a biont to local day/night cycles and the wavelengths of available light in a new environment.
Sun Scutter - Solar Thermal Bioship - Text by Rhea47
The Sun Scutter is a type of low speed interplanetary bioship powered by a solar thermal rocket.
Sunclouds - Text by AI Vin
Diffuse lighting systems for rotating habitats.
Surgicon - Text by Ryan B
Ancient and highly versatile medical/augmentation technology, also known as a HealStrip, Corrector and Active-Dressing.
Symbionic - Text by Glenn F. Cartwright
Possessing a direct, neural interface between the brain and the environment
Symbionics developed during the later information and early interplanetary periods, and for the first time allowed the biont mind to directly channel wireless, virtual reality information directly to the cortex, bypassing conventional sensory channels. This enabled complete and seamless virch participation, and virch realities that for the first time were indistinguishable from physical (rl) reality.
Symmes' Worlds - Text by AI Vin
Symmes' World starts out as the shell of a supramundane planet. When the shell becomes thick enough it generates enough of a gravity well to hold on to a biosphere. Large openings in the shell (most often at the poles) called "Symmes' holes" allow the atmospheres, hydrospheres and biospheres of the outside surface and inside volume to mix.
Synbiome - Text by iancampbell
This term refers to the complex of geneered and neogenic commensal organisms, nanomachines and nanoscale communications pathways present in most sapient bionts, which first became available in high-tech polities. The word came about as an extension of the word "microbiome", a term for the large number of micro-organisms (with a few just about visible to unaugmented human eyesight) that inhabit most, if not all, biological organisms. The synbiome usually incorporates the biont's nanomedical system among its functions. A synbiome also includes a signalling system, designed to alert the host biont to requirements for minerals and other substances not required by unaugmented bionts.
Synsects - Text by Stephen Inniss
Small bots, or occasionally cyborg/neogen or synano constructs on the scale of arthropods. They exhibit artificial instinct (as opposed to artificial intelligence), and are capable, like insects of considerably complex emergent behaviour. They are a ubiquitous in most modern mechosystems.
Technocyte - Text by Anders Sandberg, in his Transhuman Terminology. Updated by Ryan B
A synthetic autonomous machine of microscale dimensions and smaller intended to operate within a biont's body.
Temporary Bodies - Text by Michael Boncher, revised by Steve Bowers 2015
Bot or biobot body that is used to temporarily house the mind of a virtual person or any other discorporate entity.
Terraformer Swarms - Text by Somes Jung Hallinan
Large swarms of self-replicating devices that travel in front of colonization fleets. They are usually carried within small seeding missiles that travel close to the speed of light, well ahead of the main colony ships. The seedtech or sporetech devices are usually embedded within a solid block of metal, concrete, diamondoid, or some other encapsulating material.
Terraforming - Text by Anders Sandberg
Planetary Engineering with the aim of creating a habitable environment
Thicksuit - Text by Todd Drashner
Nanotech/bionanotech vacuum survival suit.
Tracked Centrifuge - Text by Wesley Bruce
System used on low-gee worlds to acclimatise individuals to higher or lower gravity regimes.
Turbine Plants - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Various species of genetically engineered plants which produce electricity by mechanical means.
Twitterbird - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Genetically modified alien birdlike animal.
Unityware - Text by Anders Sandberg
Software to enable the formation of group intellects. Named for the Nova Terra clade Unity, the first marketers of unityware.
Universal Computer - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An idealized hypothetical computer that is capable of universal computation, which means that it is capable of computing anything that can in principle be computed. Given a description of any other computer or program and some data, it can perfectly emulate this second computer or program.
Uploading Technology, The Early History of - Text by Steve Bowers
The early history of Scions, Evocations, Destructive Uploading, and Copying.
Utility Fluid - Text by John B
Form of utility fog which, in its un-self-altered state looks like a puddle and has the rough consistency of pudding or thick soup.
Utility Fog - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, after the concept by J. Storrs Hall, in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
A collective of mesobots ("foglets") that link together into a complex network, able to work together to exert force in any direction or transmit information between each other. Utility fog can be used to simulate any environment, essentially providing rl with the environment-transforming capabilities of virtual reality.
Utility Sand - Text by AI Vin
A dense, load bearing form of utility fog.
Vacuum Dirigibles - Text by Todd Drashner with additions by Steve Bowers
Lighter-than-air flying machine built around the use of nanotech constructed materials.
Vacuum Equipment - Text by Todd Drashner
Thinsuits, airdust, nanolungs: the basic requirements for vacuum survival.
Vertical Skyhooks and Static Orbital Rings - Text by Mike Miller
Orbiting structures that extend above, and below, their centres of gravity.
Virchbuilder Packages - Text by Tony Jones
Types of software used to create virtual worlds.
Virchology - Text by Thorbørn Steen
A fully designed (rather than evolved) digital ecosystem residing in a virch.
Wallflowers - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Genetically modified flowering plants for architectural display.
Warchive - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Anders Sandberg
Nanotech weapons archive/assembler.
Wer-weave - Text by Todd Drashner
Smart matter cloth.
Wingpack - Text by Todd Drashner
Personal transportation device that allows bird-like flight.
Worldhouses - Text by James Ramsey
"Relatively thin membranes designed to retain atmospheres on volatile-poor planets
Worldrings - Text by AI Vin
World Rings, as the name implies, are ring-type habitats which duplicate (as much as possible) all the conditions found on a Gaian type world, including total surface area under full centrifugal gravity. As such, World Rings occupy the middle ground between Bishop Rings and Banks Orbitals, and typically use technology from both.
Worldship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Huge nomadic interstellar ship, typically moving at 0.01 to 0.1 c, where relativistic effects are unimportant.
Yggdrasil Bush, Yggy - Text by Todd Drashner and Steve Bowers
Variant species of the orwood biological space habitat.
Zipper - Text by John B
Small cutting device for opening the amazingly resilient packaging materials common in any mid to high tech part of the Terragen Sphere.