[Cybernetic Breakthrough] Bio Synthetic Cybernetic Component

[Nyton]

Bio Synthetic Cybernetic Components

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A new concept design breakthrough in cybernetics. To negate the effects from EMP the R&D labs at Claymere Cybernetics Unlimited have developed synthetic biological components. These components take the place of the delicate wires and circuitry that are sensitive to EMP bursts.

Using nanotechnology to create synthetic biological components that replace the original suceptible ones, the cybernetic implant is made immune to the effects of EMP. Nanomachinery is programmed to generate biological replicas of such items. The extra effect caused by this is a reduction in weight by rendering current shielding techniques unnecessary. The reduced mass allows the cybernetic component to become more versatile.

The biological components create a nervous system which act like the wires of the unit. Circuits are replaced by neurons which process information and help direct the signals for coordination.

The nanomachines maintain the synthetic biological material and even help it to regenerate should it be damaged. If the cybernetic component itself is undamaged then this process allows it to pseudo-heal naturally. Varying ranges of damage will determine if further repairs may be necessary.

Designers can use the subject's biological sample to program into the nanomachinery to allow for greater ease of synchornization to the synthetic biomatter. This helps to prevent rejection by the body.

The nanomachinery itself is shielded on a microscopic level and is thus unaffected by EMP. The machinery is able to replicate itself and continues to follow it's programming of maintaining the biological components it creates.

 

[Andrew]

Could you wikify this? Thanks

 

[OsakanOne]

Just to check I understand (and some clarification):

It isn't so much "nano-technology"(which classically means nano-chemical mechanisms changing matter from one state or pattern to another, a term thrown at anything very tiny and very complex by writers) as "cultured bio-electrical systems"

A programmable injectable nervous-system capable of logical and neural operations, performing tasks once done by bulky forms forged of silicon and steel - micro-computers in your head so similar to surrounding matter they are literally undetectable with nature's very grace and man's will.

Looks promising. I like it.
Get a wiki page, post up prices, some basic laws and tell people about it. Everyone can benefit from this and the roleplay opportunities provided by getting this intimate with the brain are interesting.
But I have some questions that need to be answered (even if only in a single line or as a recommendation) in the wiki article:

• 
  
  
  Questions:
  
  -How do you store them? An armored cooling-brief-case? A can-sized tube?
  -How do you administer them? Surgery? Hyperdermic? Through the nose? Alter existing un-used brain-cells with radiology gear?
  -Are there any special conditions involved? Laws?
  -How do you create them? Do you code them? What kind of gear do you need to fabricate what you've designed? Do they need medical trials?
  -Can they be deactivated if something goes wrong or separated from surrounding neural matter safely?
  -Can they be transported from person to person with special equipment? (ideal concept for a plot right thurr)
  

Feedback:
Now onto the complicated stuff.

On EMP:

• 
  These systems would be subtle enough in their given frequency pulse (ie, non-constant, chemical based operation + extremely low electrical requirements) to not be affected by EMP. Shielding would make the stuff unconductive (and therefor chemically/electrically inert) unless you isolate the entire epidermis surrounding the brain at the blood-brain barrier level. This would create fluid-pressure issues and eventually brain-damage.
  
  Keep in mind the kind of EMP you see around fission and atomic blasts would cripple this system, but these are the same wave-lengths that can curl a 3 inch thick 50 foot steel pylon like play-dough so it's kind of unimportant.

On synthetic biological material

• 
  There is no such thing as "synthetic biological material". Biological means it performs a discreet set of behaviors and works in a given way. A better term would be "artificially cultured biological material" - A mouthful but it's easier to understand than the gray areas of "synthetic biologics" (again, carbon-based machines).

On regeneration:

• 
  Makes sense but it needs to take the matter from somewhere. I'm thinking it's actually linked to the blood-system so it can take nutrients and integrate with surrounding neural tissue to become a sort of high-density independent neural-colony - a micro-brain or slave-brain if you will that's millions of times smaller.
  
  It makes sense to also have the system self-optimize, becoming faster as it's used more (just like the human brain's learning mechanism) - A sort of bonus to this self-enhancing system.

Advantages/Disadvantages?

• 
  You're missing the vitals. Aside from "making things smaller and lighter" (and actually, probably undetectable a massive bonus) what can this do that existing neural technology can't do more cheaply?
  Is it faster? Is it more efficient? Does it have tighter integration with the user (going as far as recognizing intent and filling in gaps with supplied data to achieve a desired outcome)?
  And then it might be worth listing some modifications people could have to get them started.

Some 'fair' ideas:
You need to post some applications. Here's a few I'm throwing at you for keeps. Do as you want with them.

• 
  Enhanced or artificial memory:
  Experience what you have never experienced and remember it in crisp clean detail.
  
  'Dictionary'
  Any term the user takes in after having the update is added to a library. It can be seen as briefly as a quarter of a second with a definition and the Neural Dictionary will remember it. It will also append everything the user knows about it, right down to subliminal stuff like hearing chatter. The experience could be likened to glancing at a page instead of reading it and instantly comprehending any mechanisms or concepts it's trying to convey.
  It does not add opinion: You could know something will implode and only when you follow up and realize that this causes an explosion do you actually worry that you're locked in a room with it. Thankfully, you've seen the schematics and you have the tools.
  
  "I want to" - An Intent to Action system
  Define something you want to achieve. If you have the experience or know the math, the clusters will compute a course of action to achieve the desired outcome. The experience is akin to riding a bike. The downside is that you need a few seconds to think about it before you actually act so it's useless for "instant response" scenarios so badly needed in the SARP and removes the 'this guy is invincible' possibility.
  Plus it requires you know about what it is you want to do. Want to hop off one building onto a lower platform without breaking your back? You need to know how far it is and have glanced some basic rules of physics. It'll compute the positions and motions you need to take. But that delay is there, meaning you'd need to take cover if you were running from someone and you couldn't do it 'right away'.
  
  You might want to use this to translate into vehicular action for a cutting edge fighter, armor or tank, going as far as to put the computer of the thing into the pilot's head.
  
  As an example, I used this sort of thing in the Winter Powered-Frame to overcome the problem of how bulky the thing is and to lower the difficulty curve for something with so many complex bits and pieces.
  It's substantially bigger and heavier than an armor so I figured not every neural action would translate perfectly from a human scale to that to something like this. To give you a feel:
  
  Aerial Atom is to Buggatti Veyron as typical armor is to typical frame.
  
  Heavier, faster, better armed but it requires a lot of compensation from the pilot or it has handling and maneuvering issues.
  

I wish you luck with the submission.
Soresu should be looking over it shortly so I suggest you get to working on a wiki-page (probably under Nepleslian technology would be the best namespace for it).

 

[Nyton]

Okay I've been pretty busy so I'll just work on answering the straight questions first.

Storage: Generic stasis unit, available in any hospital unit. All it has to do is keep the nanomachines inert or on standby. Most sci-fi situations envision these to be cylindrical or cube like. Depends on the brand, make, and model.

Administration: Surgical, typically when the cybernetic implant is being installed. Due to the complexity of cybernetic components removal of wiring and circuitry in an already existing unit is more complicated than replacing it with a new one. The new component is 'hollowed out' and set for acceptance of the biological replacement. During the surgery the part is grafted and the biological supplement inserted. It grows along with the grafting process. The growth is accelerated and stabilized within a few hours of the surgery. Afterwards it heals along with regular recovery time typical of cybernetic surgery.

Laws: Normal laws and procedures according to regular cybernetics. Licensing not typical except for the facilities that perform the procedure in accordance to standard medical laws.

Creation: The biological component is generated via a template that is programmed into the nanomachinery. Adjustments are added after a sample is taken from the subject about to receive the cybernetic component. The medical trial period should be over if it is to be considered ready for public use. At least I would imagine that the trial phase would be over. I doubt it would serve any purpose IC to delay things for medical tests unless there's a story involved with it. And I think I could come up with something but mainly on the latter end when testing is done.

Saftey: Typical safeties used on most cybernetics apply. Emergency shut offs in case of power overload, pain mechanism disabling, safety overrides, etc. Usually determined by the type of component.

Transportation: Unformed and uncoded nanomachinery can be moved safely via storage modes mentioned above. Fully formed components cannot be removed without damaging the system unless performed in a surgical facility.

On to the Feedback portion.

EMP: The whole purpose for this design is to render EMP ineffective against cybernetics. Since EMP only affects the wiring and circuitry of cybernetics, having them replaced with the biological equivelent makes the components more surviveable. There is no need for shielding anything. Full conversion cyborgs especially have no need to be concerned and can lighten their loads substantially. Because the nanomachinery maintains the biological components there is no need for a biological body.

Synthetic Biological Material: Yes it makes sense that unless it was made out of something like plastic or rubber created to look like biological stuff it would be synthetic. Since this is real biological material being used then the name Artificially Cultured Biological Material is what it will be changed to when referring to the substance.

Regeneration: All your ideas make sense. That was actually close to what I was considering when it came to a control mechanism that would interface with the signals from the brain. However those would be mostly limbs. Cybernetic organs and systems like eyes and ears would not need the secondary brain. Other than the minor brain there would be no other example where the system could self-improve.

Advantages/Disadvantages: Existing neural technology in cybernetics has not been applied like this before. This is more a design concept than new technology. No one has ever put forth this idea before to attempt to solve the problem of EMP. The reduced weight and signature are bonuses. That was pretty much it.

Your suggested ideas while good had already been put forth by me but due to server shifts they kept getting lost. I put them forth as Skill Downloads that could be downloaded into the brain and learned. I guess I'll have to redo that article. Again. It will be some time though because just writing this up took me forever.

 

[Nyton]

Added it to the wiki under unapproved concepts. Rewrote paragraphs reflecting suggestions.

 

[Nyton]

I've been working on it in the wiki. Did I miss anything? Otherwise I'd like to know if this is acceptable.

 

[Wes]

Sorry. I've had it on my radar for a while (even fixed your formatting I believe) but have been really busy lately. I'm not sure what the tech approval group has been up to either.

 

[Andrew]

This article, I already reviewed once however that review seems to have disappeared into limbo.

The article is approved for IC usage. However I would like to note that as the concepts become implemented I would like it if the article is continued to be expanded upon and fleshed out.