TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY

 

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Bionics

PROSTHETICS - The cheapest bionics are limb prosthetics, which connect to the ends of peripheral nerves. They only perform the most basic of functions and are crude and unsightly. Prosthetics are not usually worth buying unless one is extremely desperate, for not only are they limited in function, they also require a lot of maintenance.

OFF-BRAND & CUSTOM AUGS - Next in line are mech-augs, which connect directly to the nervous system. The price depends on how much the augmentation has been customized; for instance, an augmented hand with retractable steel claws will go for much less than one that also has dermal armor encased in artificial skin.

Because the human body tends to reject augs without medication–like Nerotex tablets–and frequent maintenance, overly customized augs are more likely to malfunction. Hence, it is recommended that buyers choose only three or four total features across the board.

Off-brand augs are undocumented and will only be acceptable in places like the Rift or Salvation, where Enforcers tend to ignore most illegal activity. Should someone with an undocumented aug find themselves in the Strip, they will be apprehended and their augs will be confiscated.

ARMORTEK AUGS (VANILLA) - Armortek currently has a monopoly on legal augmentations. Luckily, their augs are durable and of high quality, requiring only yearly maintenance. However, there is one downside. Ordinary citizens cannot purchase weaponized augmentations without a permit, meaning commercial Armortek Augs are enhancement-only. The only exception to this rule are Enforcers and Skywardens, which are allowed weaponized augmentations.

ARMORTEK AUGS (MODDED) - Because of this, ordinary citizens may opt to mod their own Armortek Augs or purchase modded augs from dealers in the Rift. This is risky. If these individuals are discovered, they will be punished by the law.

 

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EXTENDED REALITY

AUGMENTED REALITY - # SEE THE STRIP

VIRTUAL REALITY - This technology allows individuals to live their second lives in a virtual space. This is often abused. VR junkies become disconnected from the real world, so immersed in a manufactured reality that it begins to affect their personal and professional lives. This eventually leads to a dwindling mental health, culminating to accidental death or suicide.

However, it is not all bad. There are some spaces hidden from the government's prying eyes that allow citizens to peruse articles and books that have been banned in Neoterra.

 

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ROBOTICS

All of Neoterra, with the exception of the slums, feature a wide breadth of robotics. These robotics help with businesses (ex. server bots) and are also used to maintain order within the city. There are several different types of robotics used by the government, the two of the most prominent ones being:

MAINTENANCE BOTS - Colloquially called Sweepers, they can be found all over Neoterra, scaling the walls or crossing the walkways. As the name suggests, they are tasked with cleaning the districts and repairing any faults in the building's structure. They are harmless, with the exception of those seen in the Rift.

Because scavengers like to harvest them for parts, the undercity bots are equipped with weapons and will shoot anyone that it registers to be five feet within range. This does not happen without a warning. A five-second timer will begin after detection, after which it will deploy the weapon should the target remain within range.

SURVEILLANCE DRONES - Used to police the Strip, Surveillance Drones can issue fines for minor offenses. In the case of serious transgressions, they will ping the nearest Enforcers and track offenders until back-up arrives.

 

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

PERSONAL ASSISTANTS (PA) - Personal Assistants come in many different forms. The most common type of PAs are virtual assistants, which are often used in conjunction with Augmented Reality. Personal assistants in AR are highly customizable; their voices can be altered and they can take on many different shapes, whether it be animals, humans, cartoons, and so on.

The second type of PAs are android assistants. They physically exist in the world, making them more costly than their virtual counterparts. However, because they are physical copies, they are not very portable, and the most anthropomorphic in appearance are some of the most expensive commodities in all of Neoterra.

Both types of PA can be wirelessly connected to other Armortek devices, such as speakers, household equipment, and computers, making them efficient homemakers as well as office assistants.

LIFE PARTNERS (LP) - Life Partners are the superior form of AI. Unlike Personal Assistants, they can do more than make appointments and place online orders. They feel more personal, more real. They possess the intelligence and self-awareness of humans, making them indistinguishable from the latter. They can be friends, adoptive siblings, or even romantic interests. In a world where loneliness has become an epidemic and meaningful relationships are hard to come by, Life Partners are steadily growing in popularity. At least half of the Strip's population is in possession of a Life Partner.

Like Personal Assistants, LPs come in two forms: virtual and android.

MECHTECHS (MT) - See #Salvation