Common Tech & Ware

The following equipment is ubiquitous throughout the Solar System.

Standard Augmentations

Most morphs include the following augmentations.

Access Jacks: Usually placed at the base of the skull, this external socket allows a direct neural interface with a cyberbrain or mesh inserts. A retractable fiberoptic cable enables you to plug into devices to access them directly, or to create a direct wired link to another person, allowing you to speak mind-to-mind and exchange data without fear of wireless sniffing. Access jacks are installed with all cyberbrains (and thus all pods and synthmorphs) by default.

Biomods: These genetic tweaks and tailored viruses and bacteria provide many of the health benefits of being transhuman. With it, you heal faster and regenerate lost body parts over time. You are immune to aging and most diseases, from cancer to the flu. You require only 4 hours of sleep a night. You can trigger contraception at will. You also do not suffer shock reactions after being injured or the negative effects from long-term exposure to low or zero gravity. You are also ambidextrous and can use left and right limbs equally well. These mods are universal to most biomorphs; some habitats will not allow biomorphs without them, considering them a threat to public health.

Cortical Stack: This diamond memory module is implanted at the base of the skull, where the brain stem and spinal cord connect (or in similar locations on synthmorphs). It is linked to a neural lace network of nanobots saturating the brain that monitor synaptic connections, brain architecture, and chemical levels. It effectively takes a snapshot of your brain every second, making a digital backup of your ego, right up until the moment you die. It also backs up your muse. If you are killed, this stack can be used to retrieve a backup of your ego so that you can be re-instantiated. Cortical stacks do not have external or wireless access (for security purposes), they must be surgically removed.

Cyberbrain: Cyberbrains are specialized hardware for running virtual mind-states, allowing an ego or ALI to control a pod or synthmorph. Modeled on biological brains, cyberbrains have a holistic architecture and serve as the command node and central processing point for sensory input and decision-making. As hosts, only one infomorph can inhabit a cyberbrain at a time. Any ego within a cyberbrain can move or copy itself as an infomorph to another device. By default, your ego will manifest in a digimorph, unless you have another type of infomorph available. Cyberbrains are vulnerable to hacking (Mindware Hacking). All cyberbrains are equipped with access jacks, mnemonics, and a puppet sock for remote control, at no additional cost.

Mesh Inserts: This network of implants is mandatory for people who want to use augmented reality and link wirelessly to the mesh. The various components include:

• Cranial Computer: This host serves as the hub for your personal area network and is home to your muse. It manages your augmented reality input and processes XP data, enabling you to share your sensorium with others in real-time. It is loaded with basic apps and provides all the functions you would expect from a mobile device: file storage, search engine, media player, mesh browser, address book, e-mail, messaging, and so forth.
• Medical/Diagnostic Sensors: This array monitors your health, including heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, temperature, neural activity, ware status, and more. In synthmorphs, this system monitors system reports and error logs, heat, stress faults, and similar hardware statuses.
• Radio Transceiver: This connects your headware with other mesh devices within range (5 km urban areas/50 km open areas).
• You can access any of these functions simply by thinking.

Mnemonics: The electronic minds of cyberbrains and infomorphs mimic biological brains in how they store memories — as networked but scattered groups of neurons. Despite being computerized, their memory recall is not any more efficient than bio brains. Mnemonics systems, however, allow memories to be tagged and roughly indexed. This improves memory recall, though it remains far from perfect. Mnemonics applies a +20 modifier to COG Checks for memory recall. Mnemonic data can be transferred with an ego when it resleeves, but the modifier applies only for memories that were recorded when mnemonics ware is present. Mnemonics systems are included in all cyberbrains.

Puppet Sock: Puppet socks allow a morph to be remotely controlled, just like a drone (Remote Operations). While active, the puppet has no control over their body and is simply along for the ride. Too long in this situation can lead to stress from helplessness (Stressful Situations). Morphs with damage that reaches/exceeds their Durability cannot be puppeted.

Everyday Technology

These devices are easily available in almost all habitats.

Breather: Ideal for Mars and exoplanets where you need air but not a full vacsuit, breathers consist of a face masks and a backpack or side pouch unit. It converts carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen indefinitely. For environments without convertible CO2 atmospheres (such as Titan), a small air tank provides 2 hours of breathable air.

Cold Suit: This layered set of waterproof clothing is designed for indefinitely surviving in the cold environment of Mars and similar exoplanets. It protects against temperatures as low as −100 °C. The suit is partially pressurized for low-atmospheric pressure areas.

Ecto: Ectos are mobile devices equivalent to mesh inserts, minus the internal medical sensors, used by bioconservatives or the implant-averse. They are flexible, dirt-resistant, and self-cleaning. They are often worn as bracelets or other adornments, and may be stretched out to increase screen size. They are coupled with wireless-enabled glasses, contact lenses, earpieces, and haptic gloves for experiencing augmented reality. Using an ecto applies a −10 modifier to mesh actions.

Grip Tape: Sticky nanotape can be used to adhere gear to any surface, which is then easily released by pulling in the right (perpendicular) direction.

Holographic Projector: This device can project high-definition, ultra-realistic three-dimensional images and movies. From a distance (20+ meters), such holograms are difficult to distinguish as fake, but up close they are easier to see for what they are (+20 Perceive Test modifier). Holograms do not appear in wavelengths other than visual light, and so are easily identified by anyone with enhanced vision.

Micrograv Shoes: These shoes are equipped with velcro and/or a magnetic system, allowing the wearer to walk normally on appropriate surfaces in micrograv and zero-g environments, rather than floating or bouncing.

Nuclear Battery: These micro-sized batteries generate power from radio-isotope decay, storing it for use. They can produce power for years or even decades. They are often used to recharge standard batteries.

Portable Sensor: This is a small portable (possibly even wearable) sensor system. The type of sensor must be chosen (for example: infrared, lidar, radar, x-ray). Combined sensor systems are also available, at a cumulative cost. See Senses and Sensors, and Radio and Sensor Ranges.

Smart Clothing: Made from smart materials, you can change the color/patterns of smart clothing immediately and the texture and cut in 1d6 minutes. When used for camouflage purposes, smart clothing applies a +10 modifier to Infiltrate Tests, +30 if you are completely covered (or using chameleon skin) and remain stationary. This camo does not apply against radar, x-ray, gamma-ray, or infrared heat sensors (including enhanced vision). You can also use smart clothing to stand out (+10 to +30 to Perceive you). Smart clothing keeps you comfortable in environments from −40 to 70 °C.

Solar Charger: This small portable unit unfolds into highly efficient solar panels, useful for collecting sunlight and charging electronics or recharging batteries. It is common in gatecrashing and asteroid mining ops, though power output relies on proximity to the sun/star.

Specs: Specs are vision-enhancing glasses or goggles. They provide all of the benefits of enhanced vision and include a t-ray emitter. They provide a +10 bonus to Perceive Tests.

Standard Battery: Batteries are micro-sized, high-density, ultra-capacity, rechargeable, room-temperature superconductors good for hundreds of hours of operation.

Tools: Tools come in kits (small, portable), shops (can fit into a large vehicle), and facilities (huge, non-mobile). Each set of tools applies to a particular skill, such as Hardware: Electronics or Medicine: Paramedic.

Utilitool: In its basic form, a utilitool is the size and shape of a large fountain pen. Made from smart materials, it can transform into almost any tool in 1d6 minutes, from a wrench, knife, or powered screwdriver to a rotary grinder or pair of pliers.

Viewers: Viewers are a long-range version of specs, akin to advanced binoculars. They provide 50x magnification and incorporate a directional microphone that magnifies sound from the direction you are facing by a factor of 50. Viewers are not useful at short ranges.

Wireless Energy Transmitter: When plugged into an energy source, this transmitter will transfer power to devices within 20 meters via near-field resonant inductive coupling. These are common in habitat areas, both public and private.