264. Public Access Memory

The ability to share experience can make or break a community. Done well and mistakes will only be made once, done poorly and you might as well be alone. Opening up your memory to public access allows your community to take the best advice you could give. The implant, hooking your mesh inserts into your memory centers, creates a peer-to-peer network of experience.

Public access memories present themselves first as associations. A user can query the network with whatever is on their mind, and if the item is recognized, receive aggregate associations from all other users. Asking about a restaurant can give a sense of other users' experiences, as well as anything significant that may have happened there. Asking about an event can give other users' perspectives on and memories of that event. The implant is limited by mesh access: a database of memory would have prohibitive requirements, so queries are sent to any other users within range.

Mechanics

Public access memory is cyberware [Low]

214. Daemons

Muses are one of the most useful and most taken for granted technologies of the post-singularity world. The constant labors of the personal assistant AIs have eliminated secretaries, receptionists, supervisors, and many managers, as well as general practitioners, many therapists, and earlier AIs. The efficiency gained through their pervasive use cannot be fully calculated, but many are confident it can still be increased.

The difference between a daemon and a muse is simple. Instead of working through the inefficiencies of spoken language, or displays, a daemon has a direct line into the brain. A daemon's advice is not spoken and not heard, instead it is immediately comprehended. The benefits of this close union are an increase in effectiveness across the board, because, although the muse's AI is not upgraded, its ability to interact with its user is greatly increased.

Although muses have gained acceptance from bioconservatives and those afraid of AI through sheer practicality, daemons are another story. Large segments of most populations do not want to give an AI a direct brain interface.

Mechanics

A daemon is a muse with a cyberware upgrade [Moderate] giving it direct access to the brain.

A daemon gains +5 to all skills. There may be other benefits at the GM's discretion.

205. Medusa-Locks

The replacing of hair with small, muscular fibers was originally conceived of as an edge up in fashion. Those of the cyber/fashion avant-garde were soon sporting floating "hair" that could reshape itself, moving in reaction to it's wearers mood, or reaching out to caress passers by. The fibers, however, were much thicker than actual hair, leading to an uncanny effect that prevented full acceptance by the general public.

Instead of attempting to overcome the problem by designing smaller fibers, one independent Extropian designer decided to embrace size, and began selling blueprints for a thicker, stronger version. These tendrils appear like dreadlocks even from up close, an illusion that is only broken when they are used to pick up small objects. A group of Scum militia implanted their dreads with syringes of poison, as well as modifying them to resemble snakes, leading to them being called "medusa-locks".

Mechanics

Floating hair is [Trivial]

Medusa-locks are [Low]

204. Introspection Cortex

Cognite receives the most attention for their uplift programs, but the development of mental augmentations is still one of their primary sources of revenue. One of their older products, still one of their top earners is the introspection cortex.

The introspection cortex is a supplementary network of connections between key areas of the brain (or, in cyberbrains, a simulation of such). The effect of the new network is to bring the unconscious mind into the reach of consciousness. Users do not gain any direct control over the unconscious aspects of their mind, but do become directly aware of them. A user will have an intuitive understanding of the fact that, for example, their dislike of a person is due to them smelling similar to an old enemy, or that their bad mood has more to due with their diet than their current circumstances.

A bioware equivalent is in the works.

Mechanics

Introspection Cortex's are cyberware [Moderate]

Combining an introspection cortex with augmentations such as endocrine control or a feedback cortex may produce synergistic effects boosting their benefits by 5 - 10, at the GM's discretion.

179. Animalware Cybersuites

Asked about the high costs of animal ownership, most would cite the costs of exowombs, sufficient livable space, or specialized food. The costs of training are most often underestimated, as they require either time or the services of a specialist or AI. Fa Jing's new line of animalware cybersuites was designed to meet that need, but instead they created a revolution in smart animal design, augmentation and training, bringing animals into the post-singularity age.

An animalware cybersuite replaces the biological brain with a cyberbrain, including an animal oriented ego-bridging service, a cybercortex, and a specially designed skillwire. A cyberbrain allows for easy forking of your good boys, a cybercortex increases intelligence and trainability, and skillware allows instant housebreaking and mastery of basic commands.

Mechanics

Animalware Cybersuites are cyberware (High)

176. Packnet

Favored by shepherds, packnets are tacnets designed for use by smart animals. Unlike tacnets, a packnet is not just software but must be implanted as special cyberware, acting as mesh inserts and simple brain scanners. This way the animal does not have to be trained to use a computer interface, as the packnet reacts directly to its thoughts. A cybercortex is highly recommended if the system is to be used to its fullest potential, and the system also combines well with compulsion goads, allowing single shepherds to control large groups with ease.

The animals are not presented with formal maps, but are given an intuitive knowledge of their surroundings. They do not communicate through language, but instintively understand each others intentions, as well as what the others are sensing and experiencing. The implant will induce fear or caution to steer its charges away from threats, and hunger or rage to entice them against targets.

Mechanics

Packnets are cyberware [High]

Packnets offer the same advantage as tacnets, but designed for use by smart animals. Non-smart animals (traditional breeds) are typically unable to use packnets in any significant way.

144. Seeing-Eye Balls

Seeing-eye balls were, for a time, the premier choice for small, flying surveillance. They are perfect spheres the size of human eyeballs, mounting small cameras and propelled swiftly by ionic skin. They were limited in their capabilities, but were fast and reliable and were sold by the dozen in elegant pouches. They fell out of use when the smaller and even more discrete specks were released.

The balls made a recent comeback, however, when someone had the idea of modifying their synth to use the bots as eyes and, whats more, detach and reattach them at will. When attached they are almost indistinguishable from standard synth eyes, making them easy to smuggle into places that might not allow bots. Once detached, the user can see through them as if they were still their normal eyes. It is recommended they are used only one at a time or else kept paired, as disorientation and nausea often result from trying to perceive to entirely different points-of-view at once.

Mechanics

Seeing-eye balls are robots [Trivial]

Movement Rate: 4/40 Max Velocity: 80 Armor: 2/2 Durability: 25
Wound Threshold: 5 Mobility System: Ionic

Enhancements: 360 Degree Vision, Access Jacks, Enhanced Vision

Seeing-eye balls can also be installed as cyberware [Moderate]

119. Engineer's Womb

One of the biggest appeals of an exowomb is no longer having to go through pregnancy. Why, then, would anyone have an exowomb implanted, negating that huge benefit?

An engineer's womb is capable, like most ectogenesis pods, of bringing almost any animal to term. It borrows healing pod and morph growth technology to shorten gestation; most fetuses can be brought to term at twelve times their natural rate. Pregnancy might still be inconvenient, but will be nowhere near as much as with the natural option, and is guaranteed to be uneventful. Birth is fast and easy.

The real benefit of an engineer's womb can only be realized by a genetic engineer. The womb runs a feed into your mesh inserts (or directly to your cyberbrain, if applicable) giving constant updates on its current pregnancy. What's more, the womb is equipped with a suite of gene-hacker's tools, capable of gene-therapy and bio-modification throughout gestation. With only mental commands, an engineer can modify the fetus on the fly, with instant and constant feedback. Experienced engineers know that this constant feedback and at-hand tools is the difference between good results, and great.

Mechanics

An engineer's womb is cyberware [High]

An engineer's womb can also be used as a small (~limb sized) healing pod in an emergency.

57. Metabolic Chamber

Hunger is one of the biggest disadvantages of biomorphs, so it may seem strange to find an augmentation designed to allow synthmorphs to eat. The ability to metabolize local chemicals for energy and material has its advantages, however, and makes an effective backup for the traditional nuclear batteries.

A metabolic chamber processes its food in two stages. First, heat induces burning, releasing energy that is absorbed by the chamber's systems. Second, a scavenger nanoswarm is excreted, gathering any material that might be useful for the synth's maintenance and/or repair. Finally, any remaining material is expelled as a fine powder.

Installation of a metabolic chamber can require significant restructuring to make room in the neck and abdomen, so the chamber is often installed externally. Sometimes one is even carried as separate gear, used to recharge electronics. On Titan, solar chargers are ineffective do to the distance of the sun, but metabolic chambers can make use of the moon's abundant hydrocarbons.

Mechanics

A metabolic chamber is cyberware or gear [Low]

17. Feedback Cortex

The feedback cortex is the newest cyberbrain peripheral from Cognite, with rumored exhuman collaboration. The goal of the cortex was to allow conscious modification of one's own ego, and that goal was achieved, albeit with significant downsides.

The feedback cortex will first make an alpha fork of your ego. Then, you are required to perform the desired psychosurgery on the fork. A specialized AI will observe your work, as well as taking before and after ego snapshots and use this information to duplicate the surgery.

Many bioconservatives have criticized the feedback cortex, arguing that the requirement of prior skill in psychosurgy and doubled time-spans makes it preferable only for those who cannot go to professional psychosurgeons. Why wouldn't someone be able to go to a professional? Either because of the extremeness of their isolation or of the desired procedures. Therefore the product can only intended only for exhumans and singularity seekers, and should be outlawed. Persistent rumors of exhuman involvement in development suggest they may not be wrong.

Mechanics

The feedback cortex is cyberware [High]

The feedback cortex can only be used by cyberbrains or infomorphs.

The feedback cortex allows an ego to perform psychosurgery on itself. Because the psychosurgery must be performed twice, first to program the AI, then the actual surgery by the AI, all procedures take twice as long.

Plot Hook: Firewall has proof that much of the original research behind the cortex was provided by an active clade of exhumans. They are concerned that the exhumans will take the cortex much farther  than even Cognite was willing to go, using the cortex as a way to induce continual growth, akin to seed AIs. The players are asked to investigate and intervene.

4. Compulsion Goad

Biodrones, animals modified to be “ridden” and directly controlled by their handlers, have two primary disadvantages: they disturb or traumatize the animal and they waste whatever natural instincts and training the puppeteer is overriding. The compulsion goad is Somatek's solution for these problems.

Unlike a biodrone, the animal is not teleoperated. Instead, the goad prompts actions but the animal's instincts and training fill in the specifics. For example, a handler orders the animal to attack a target and so the goad compels the animal to attack that target, but it does not puppet the animal or provide detailed “bite here” instructions. The animal attacks the target in whatever way is most natural.

The compulsion goad gives the animal a strong compulsion to do an action, with a dopamine reward when the compulsion is obeyed. Because the impulse and the decision to obey are both internal, and nothing of the animals mind must be overruled, there is none of the trauma of puppeteering.

The compulsion goad is most often used in two ways: with a handler, or a shepherd. A handler is most often paired with one or two animals, giving simple commands like “attack this man” or “protect me” to support their own actions. A soldier/animal paired are much more dangerous than both of them separate.

A shepherd, on the other hand, handles groups of animals. As either a transhuman or an AI, the shepherd's primary job is to act as a tactician, turning a pack of animals into something more. A pack of compulsion goaded guard dogs under the instruction of a tactical AI should never be underestimated.

Mechanics

A compulsion goad is a cyberware augmentation [Moderate].

A shepherd AI is as an animal keeper AI, plus squad tactics 60 [High].

2. Third Hemisphere

Hemispherectomies reveal the surprising degree to which each hemisphere of the brain can be independent, as well as the ability of the brain to rewire itself when necessary. Split-brain patients reveal the nature of the mind as separate processes acting in concert.

Cognite researchers believed that, if given sufficient time and careful training, new modules could be folded seamlessly into transhuman minds. A human brain could be augmented with a third hemisphere, a sub-sentient AI, adding new modes of thought to the transhuman mental arsenal.

Physically, the third hemisphere is a cyberbrain peripheral, designed to connect through the simulated corpus collosum. Mentally, the AI is designed to mesh with a human mind and seek synchronicity, but simultaneously provide access to modes of thought difficult for the natural brain. Typically the AI is designed to provide talent at Bayesian analyses, game theory analyses, formal logic, and various higher-level mathematics.

With proper psychosurgical adjustments and training, the brain and new hemisphere will grow into each other, becoming so smoothly intertwined as to become indistinguishable, forming one mind just as the two hemispheres of a natural brain form one mind. At first, the brain will have no way to interpret the signals of the new hemisphere. Plasticity, training and psychosurgery, however, given time, allow the brain to begin to understand and incorporate the new source of information. After a decade of use, the union is total.

Mechanics

A third hemisphere is cyberware [Expensive]

It grants the anamolous mind and math wiz traits, as well as the equivalent of the savant calculation and pattern recognition sleights.