TECHNOLOGY:

More than anything else, technology is the ultimate prize. It is the contemporary Grail.

Corporations are engaged in a desperate scramble for new technology, realizing that new technology is the key to prosperity and power in the new society. Corporate espionage and sabotage is all geared towards gaining or keeping a technological edge over the competition.

This section describes some advances in technology in specific areas so that players have some idea of the cutting edge (as the public perceives it). At the end of this section are several examples of contemporary technology.

Computers and Communications: Given the explosive advances of data technology in the late twentieth century, it is difficult to imagine the computer/communications technology of 2060. In a sense, computers have continued to grow faster and more powerful, with terms like 2 megabit bandwidth databuses, 20GHz processors, multi-Terabyte chips, and Random Instruction Processor Protocol (RIPPers) being commonly bandied about at the consumer level. But computer technology has hit the wall of human capability. Humans simply don't need that much computational power, and the software has fattened up to compensate.

In human terms, computers can provide holographic imaging, voice recognition, multitasking, mathematic-dimensional sound with full emulation capabilities. Perhaps the best way of giving an idea of the technology is by showing that the average dataterminal has media access (television, vidphone, telecopier) as its primary role--effectively replacing all the old media access technologies.

Telecommunications have likewise kept pace with data technology. Telecommunications come in either landline (fibre-optic cable) or broadcast (microwave burst) and both are used extensively. Every city has a cellular digital microwave network supplementing an extensive fibre-optic grid, though only the microwave network can reach into the gang-ruled neighborhoods of the downtown and suburbs.

All communication is routed through the planetwide DataNet, a form of global information highway. This net allows full video (often holographic) transmission to anywhere on Earth, and there are gateways to Graviton Pulse Communicators, permitting FTL communications with the colonies.

Rumors of new technology include organic processors, instant linguistic translation, and holographic memory storage.

Genetics: The Information Revolution has been most felt in the genetics field, where genetics has finally entered the consumer field. Only the rich can afford genetic products, like Turf (R) brand lawnseed (never needs mowing), or genetically pure fruits and vegetables. This is the consumer side of genetics. Not seen as much are the genetic immunization drugs, which have already wiped out dozens of diseases. Even less seen are genetic vivisections, and human testing is rumored to be occurring on some of the secret corporate worlds. Genetic weapons are a persistent concern.

Vehicles: Vehicles are all based upon either an alcohol-burning turbine, or a capacitance gel battery. Both have similar performance, and both use a renewable and relatively clean power source. Gravitic Effects Drive has, however, created a new class of vehicle--contragravitics. These range from carryall dropships for orbit-to-ground transfer to heavily armed and armored gunships.

TECHNOLOGY SAMPLER:

Finance

Currency Cards: Originally designed as a form of bearer security, currency cards have become almost a replacement for currency. Currency Cards look much like credit cards but are issued in set denominations of 20, 50, 100, 1000, and 5000 Cr. The back of the card has an optical strip, which will authorize payment from the issuing institution up to the denomination amount. On the face of the card is a Liquid Crystal strip which shows the value remaining on the card, and once the strip is spent, the card reader keeps the card for recycling by the issuer.

Electronic Fund Transfer Authorization Card: EFTA cards are used for special fund transfers between large corporations and investors. The EFTA card looks very much like a standard credit card but does not possess the twin optical strips. Instead, all EFTA data is burned into a set of PROM chips. At a special termina, often found only at large financial institutions, the PROM chips can be interrogated for security codes and countercodes. If these are acceptable, the PROM chips then provide the interrogator computer with the amount to be transferred, the appropriate account numbers, the date range in which the transaction is to be effective, and recognition and identification criteria of the parties involved. Once the information has been read and approved by the reader computer, the security countercodes are wiped from the EFTA chips, making the card useless for fiuture transactions. Because of their ease of use and security, EFTA cards have become a form of short-term bearer security and are used for futures contracts, share purchases, and even payment of contractors and mercenaries. They are often found in transactions where payment must be guaranteed but delayed for a short time.

Credit Cards: Credit cards are the primary medium of consumer commerce on Earth and are carried by all citizens as a means of identification and currency. Normally, credit cards are distributed to citizens through major financial institutions, and these institutions have signed agreements with all national governments and colonizing corporations to inlude citizenship data n the cards prior to issue. Each credit card is made of thin plastic impressed with the owner's name, address, and national/corporate identity number on the face. On the reverse of the card are two special optical strips--one fixed, the other programmable, as well as an interface for an optical chip embedded in the card. The fixed optical strip contains an initiator code for the billing computer, which will interrogate the card chip with a verification algorithm. If the algorithm is correctly executed by the card chip, other information stored on the optical strips can be accessed. A card normally carries the following data on the fixed strip:

In the event of an incorrect audit number, or a record of loss/theft in the bank computer, the entire credit card is neutralized in the card reader and security services are notified The optical chip serves as a hardware safety measure by acting as an interface with the card reader terminal. The chip is the other half of the reader processing circuitry and if damaged, the card is rendered useless.

Criminal Gear

CIR Reader: This is a handheld unit carried by talented muggers. The muggers use the CIR reader to strip all the data from a victim's credit card and download it into a CIR counterfieter terminal, which produces a copy of the stolen card and allows the counterfieter access to the victim's accounts. Usually the counterfieter can use the CIR card data for one or two days before the card data is burned or invalidated by the issuer, longer if the theft is not reported. Muggers will typically not use the cards themselves, but will be paid a percentage of the value of the victim's card.

Electronic Lockpick: This is a highly restricted device used by locksmiths and others to penetrate portals secured by the old-fashioned pin-tumbler locks. The lockpick works by applying constant torque to the lock cylinder while each pin is slowly raised in turn. The pick head senses when each pin reaches its shear line and the head moves on to the next pin. Once a lock has been picked, the lockpick can store its configuration in memory (up to 256 combinations) and re-create the pick heights for later use in either picking the lock or making a separate key. The Electronic Lockpick is a 25mm by 300mm wand with replaceable pick heads for vairous inline, circular, and angled-pin locks.

Magnetic Resonance Inducer: This creates powerful magnetic field which can affect microprocessor operations through induction. It is used to jam or otherwise manipulate the microprocessors on computer-operated locks. By placing an MRI next to the lock console, the user can cause the lock to open or close a portal and simultaneously shut out other methods of operating that lock.

Military Gear

PALE/PTI Merge Technology: A common feature of the modern battlefield, PALE/PTI is passive vision technology incorporating ambient light enhancement and thermal imaging into a single near-day image which can use false colors to indicate temperature variations.

Vision Headsets: These are an adaptation of both image intensifiers and PALE/PTI Merge technology in the form of night vision goggles. They allow variable magnification of up to 10x.

Nomad GUNCAM Vision Headset: GUNCAM is a development of NOMAD, a partner in JVR and consists of a single PALE/PTI Merge scope rigged for binocular output. A Fibre-optic cable connects the scope to the vision headset, allowing the goggles to reproduce the scope view in the form of a picture-in-picture display of the headset output image. This means that the wearer can automatically use weapon sights, regardless of stance or facing.

Radeytek Remote Position Monitor (RPM): Radeytek's RPM is intended for use by platoon and strike-team leaders engaging in defensive urban combat. The RPM consists of a set of self contained video transmitters which are linked to a handheld command console. This allows the platoon commander to monitor the status of several key outlying dfeensive positions from relative safety. Each video transmitter is roughly the size of small book (125mm x 200mm x 43mm) and is built around a single CCD camera incorporating PALE/PTI technology. The camera elements are able to scan a 90 degree arc by using a wide-angle lens and digital image reprocessing at the console. Each transmitter also comes equipped with adhesive tape, a magnetic mounting bracket, and an aluminum screw mount. The command console is slightly smaller than the transmitters (110mm x 190mm x 37mm) and incorporates a touch-sensitive color LCD screen capable of displaying up to four incoming images in either split-screen or picture-in-picture display formats. The screen is also capable of being "stealthed" for use with night vision gear by using infrared rather than visible backlighting. System communications are accomplished by sending encrypted video stills every two seconds from each camera. Without the proper key, the console cannot decrypt the image data. Also, for greater security, the image updates can be transmitted using a unique frequency-hopping alorithm, making the units almost unjammable. Camera range is 250 hexes.

Collaris Research Industries Endocrine Implants: While not a technology likely to be encountered in the Jericho campaign, this is included in order that players have some idea of the scope of technological development. All data on Endocrine Implants should be treated as rumor. The implants consist of animal endocrine glands which have been genetically modified to produce a specific hormone or biological medication, and offer great promise in the treatment of various endocrine maladies, such as diabetes. However, there are rumors that these devices will be used in crude forms of eugenics and population control. The implants are controlled by a bacterial computer which is a wonder of nanotech engineering. The computer can regulate hormone production in the implant in response to body conditions or external stimuli. Possible applications include the supplemental production of adrenaline for elite troops, production of endorphins for pain therapy and recreation, the production of hypnotic drugs for control of individuals, especially criminals. A more controversial suggested use of the implants is the production of estrogen as a means of curbing violence in dangerous male criminals.