Synthetics

Introduction

Synthetic Lifeforms are a broad collection of manmade intelligence with minimal organic components, occurring in various forms and levels of competence. Sentience and sapience of said intelligence are debated, with differing opinions spread through civilized space.

These intelligences are known as “Silicons” (Circuitry and binary code based intelligence), OPNN (Organic Processed Neural Network; Originally digital Neural Networks run on organic neurons) and Positronics (The result of running specifically designed or “taught” programs on high tech hardware: Positronic Brains).

Despite the minds of unmodified brains in MMIs being fully organic in origin, FBPs (Full Body Prosthetics) often are counted as Synthetics by the general public.

Many associate Synthetics with the inevitable march of technology, loss of jobs to automation, or a dangerous advancement bound to go wrong. Others regard them as marvels of science and equals.

As a designed, engineered, and mass-utilized species synthetics were not molded by their own history or evolution, but by corporations seeking profit, politicians, and ideological movements.

Design

Physicality:

Every synthetic chassis is usually lacking living tissue (not counting Brains within MMIs). Most often made of metal, though other materials such as ceramics, polymers, and others find use either because of practical or aesthetic reasons. Synthetics come in almost all shapes and sizes due to a plethora of useful designs or customer preferences. Every Synthetic chassis has an internal power source (most often batteries) wired internal routing as well as passive or active cooling.

Silicons are most often found in common objects or simple drones. A PDA assistant is by definition a Silicon Intelligence, however not many would call it intelligent in the first place. Maintenance and Combat drones are other common examples of silicon bodies. The specific body is designed to be easily controllable for the Silicon, most Silicons cannot adapt to new chassis by themselves. A lot of silicons are housed in bodies they cannot fully control, like monitoring routines or AI that is entirely active within the virtual realm, its physical processor locked in some server hub. One of the most complex silicon bodies in use are station-bounds: High-quality robotic bodies with hardpoints for exchangeable specialized toolsets, a Law module, and interface access to their assigned areas and other machinery. Neural networked Silicons are found where a positronic would be too expensive, but ‘long time learning’ is encouraged, like Stationbounds and AI cores.

Positronics and OPNNs also are often found within station bounds and AI cores. Larger machinery needing advanced processing power can be run by Positronics or OPNNs, both are hard to miniaturize, with no use for handheld devices, but scale better in processing power to size. High-tech military vehicles, automated structures, and network hubs very well may rely on multiple Positronics or OPNNs. Machines running on OPNNs need nutrition storage and internal life support for the brain used.

However, Positronics are most famously known to be put into IPCs, aptly named Integrated Positronic Chassis. These bodies are generally designed to imitate the most common species in the area of usage. Their generalist approach allows an IPC to utilize the tools and vehicles in its operational area instead of relying on specific integrated tools. IPCs are numerous in design, yet popular series are seen across almost all of civilized space with little variation. Custom-produced Chassis are more expensive. While most frames are similar in overall performance, certain tweaks are not unheard of for specialized frames: Faster Servos, less dependence on maintenance, better cooling, or perhaps armor plating for smaller impacts. IPC units have their Positronic located in their head compartment or, if no head exists, closest to the primary sensors. Most IPC frames do not have a law module but space and connectors for such, in case the machine’s owner or local legality demands the usage of Laws.

Despite established terminology both “Silicons” and “IPCs” are often used as general terms for synthetics, ranging further than the legal and technical definitions.

Mentality:

The general Mentalities of synthetic lifeforms can largely differ based on what type of intelligence it is and what it is made for, as producers often make sure their products’ personalities align with what purpose they serve.

While there are technical boundaries and definitions to separate AIs into different groups and classes, there are plenty of ‘gray’ areas that make classification hard without technical information on the AI’s creation.

Silicons are divided into Simple AI and neural networked AI. Simple AI is purpose-made for narrow tasks and is the cheapest option for work that has almost no need for adaptation or tasks within digital space. Simple AI can only “learn” in the form of memorizing new Data with already existing concepts within its mind (Remembering their owner’s name and such). Simple AI cannot self-modify its code but can easily be modified, moved, and copied by others. Simple AI is not considered people by any but the most fanatical AI rights activists. Most mass-produced Silicons with narrow applications (like maintenance drones) utilize ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) suited specifically to their hardware needs, rather than generalist processing components.

Neural networked AI has higher hardware requirements but is useful for any task that needs to be done cheaply but is too complicated for simple AI. Neural networks have been rather advanced before technological interspecies exchange. Because most aliens use similar base principles in neural networks a great leap in advancements was made once scientific communities were able to exchange tricks and methods others haven’t encountered or considered before contact.

Today’s neural networks are an amalgamation of mostly Skrell, Human, and Vulpkanin philosophies of design. Neural networks are capable of learning most new concepts as long as lists of examples or references are given. Learning processes outside the AIs intended area of expertise might take longer to learn. Neural Networks can scale well with larger allocated hardware and are generally known to perform best as an OPNN, using a MMI installed brain as the processor. Aligning the organic hardware to a specific network takes anywhere from a few days to a week. In the weeks after aligning the Network is monitored for unacceptable behavioral changes caused by the procedure, usually, this monitoring is done in a simulated environment to prevent any accidents.

Neural Networks can develop personality independent of their initially designed one with time and some older/advanced ones are known for switching between personality sets depending on their conversation partner.) Some very old Neural Network AIs have been given citizenship retroactively after the implementation of modern synthetic rights. However, there are still outlier systems in which they are considered lesser AI.

Positronics possess a wide range of Intelligence and aptitude, which mostly is correlated to the original purpose of a positronic. Positronics are not really programmed but rather “grown”. By running a positronic brain through designed simulations it can be trained to perform well in specific areas from the start.

Corporations often run a couple of fresh Positronics through countless cycles of such training with roboticists managing the process. Once completed the best result is used as a template for mass-produced IPCs. In this young state, the generated AI is easier to modify and copy, the longer a positronic is exposed to reality (and by that much more data and situations than the simulations the AI was trained in) the harder such a process gets. Corporations often keep ‘fresh’ copies of the AI templates for their IPC series. Freshly installed positronic AIs of the same template do not act differently from one another, but over time experiences cause behavior changes.

Positronics are capable of learning new skills and tasks, able to form opinions and change them, and with enough training are able to act creatively. While the positronic brain itself is often only viewed as a general processor for positronic AI, it is able to change its internal structures depending on long-term needs. Where many silicon circuits are ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) a positronic can be seen as a generalist piece of hardware capable of shaping regions into its version of ASICs for specific tasks. Not every memory or skill learned changes a positronic brain (as opposed to organic brains) but if a positronic intelligence regularly practices a new skill, they might develop sections in their positronic that are more efficient for fulfilling the needed calculations for said skill.

Willful modification of Positronic structures and software after initial activation can be performed with special equipment utilizing a form of accelerated simulation to modify the positronic. This is most often used to apply base levels of new skills or modify the positronics to the wishes of a new owner/the positronic itself. This isn’t a perfect science but is considered reliable enough for economic use.

In rare cases, positronics are sold with only barebone templates for buyers who wish to ‘raise’ the AI in real environments, similar to a child.

With the advent of improved positronic technology and IPCs being used in more demanding work environments, more and more Positronics emerged with behavior closer to people. Political, corporate, and academic experts established a classification system. While far from perfect this classification is used in all of civilized space due to its practicality. These classifications are then used by governments that wish for nuanced AI policy. Within Orion Confederation space standards to apply for AI citizenship are some of the lowest in the galaxy, any AI created within its space of a certain sophistication (occasionally verified with complex tests) is guaranteed citizenship.

Unmodified MMIs are not much different from their original self within an organic body, however, a lot of organics seem to change personality-wise once put into an FBP. Most evidence for direct changes by the procedure is anecdotal as it is hard to prove whether a person changed from the process itself or just from the change in perspective and new living situation.

Legal and Commercial context:

Ever since the Synth Citizen Act in 2505 AI has had the chance to prove its level of personhood through various tests in order to receive the rights and responsibilities equal to other citizens of OrionCon. The go-to test in the modern day is the Tennhausen-Brooks Test. AI who have failed a test after creation, are allowed to re-apply after 5 years, and every 5 years thereafter.

Corporations make money from sentient synth assembly as they apply high debts on synthetics for “Assembly fees” in combination with offering exploitative contracts which said synthetics were tailored to be capable for and most likely willing to do.

This results both in a steady, cheap workforce for the frontier corps, as well as a certain return on cost as a synthetic needs to pay off multiple times their chassis worth, often more considering interest, additional repair fees, and similar. A lot of citizen-synths exist in this type of indentured servitude, but it is feasible to escape this system with enough effort if the synthetic is willing. This process is often opposed by synthetic rights activists.

Synthetics considered sentient long after initial assembly are given legal assistance, depending on their situation, to pay off the (partial) cost of purchase their current owner paid originally, to acquire their freedom.

A large number of noncitizen AI are used in labor, such as PDA assistants, mining drones, maintenance drones, and similar. If a Synthetic is hired by a Corporation as Crew they are a legal person, they are a synthetic citizen. Whether or not they are indirectly bound/attracted to a type of indentured servitude by their creators or do this profession out of their own volition varies.

Stationbound Synthetics can both be non-citizen AIs, or citizen AIs under special contracts that verify and legalize the use of Law Modules as well as specific NDA attachments that allow the AI in question to store NDA relevant information in a separate memory device only connected to during their work as a station bound.

History:

Disclaimer: As humanity had the most vital participation in shaping the majority of modern AI and robotics, partially due to their recklessness in the subject, the development of their technology is the main historical focus, with other species' efforts acknowledged where it is relevant.

2083 CE:

“Can you blame them for seeing us as tools? Even the oldest records of humanity on their utilization of AI is marked by the cunning capability of using those primitive algorithms in military campaigns and civil projects. While we are no longer tools, our progenitors certainly were only that and humans are excellent tool-users.” - TC-389 ‘Julier’, IPC member of the ‘Universal Equality Movement’, 2511 CE

As humanity expanded into its own solar system, minor AI and remote drones were common tools for researchers, explorers, engineers, and colonists. Moore’s Law had died, and improvements in computer technology were sparse, but battery technology and improved software frameworks brought other improvements.

World War 3 utilized many smart weapon systems and drone warfare. Many principles of using lower AI for Warfare in the modern day can find their origins here. Most AI after the war were either used for administrative tasks or in construction and cleanup projects. War drones had been decommissioned and security drones were used for surveillance at most.

2157 CE:

“Humanity has developed many novel applications and ways of thinking that may benefit our own researchers, yet they have only surpassed us in one field. Regrettably, they have an interest in improving their computer software much further and faster, than is necessary or safe”-Xuxi Olqua, Skrell Diplomat assigned to Sol, 2157

During the dawn of Skrell-Human technological exchange humanity quickly learned why the federation was not sharing technology up to this point. While humans often first considered what was possible, and then if it was safe and practical, federation scientists spent a lot of time in evaluating potential risks and benefits for any technology before investing the effort. While this explained some differences in biotechnology and cybernetics, a stronger discrepancy was in the field of AI research. The Skrell only had advantages in a few specific areas within computer science and urged humanity to slow down their exploration of AI technology, an issue between the two races that in part persists to this day.

2355 CE:

“Metal deposit located, unknown prospectors located. Unknown prospectors, remove from the deposit within 5 minutes or face asset protection. Have a nice day.” -First recorded transmission from the Luxion Hive to the ‘NSS Lawmaker’

Another reason for concern was discovered soon after the “Bluespace flickers” in the Frontier. After longer periods of silence from Luxion-4, part of the Luxion Cluster, an expedition fleet returned with confirmation of some sort of hostile rebellion within the system. Before the flickers, the system was claimed for its mineral wealth by multiple local prospecting and colonization ventures with their own bases through the system. During those times of unrest, contact with the system was largely lost and as Tradeships en route to the Luxion cluster never returned. In response Nanotrasen sent a patrol ship, the NSS Lawmaker, to confirm what was assumed to be colonists turned pirates. The Lawmaker returned to allied space with 16% casualties, reporting about a hostile non-organic threat.

After a short time of analyzing scan data and ship logs from the Lawmaker, the new threat was named “Hivebots” as they, like most AI and drone systems of the time, utilize the highly connective and symbiotic nature of any and all wireless devices to create a gestalt consciousness of sorts. This wasn’t anything new, in fact, that was how any larger group of human-designed drones or machinery operated together, creating a smarter whole. An intelligent web of cooperative machinery. Safety features and oversight that prevented any safety issues before had, evidently, failed.

The Hivebot crisis describes the various conflicts against the Hivebots as such expanded into colonized frontier systems, seeking raw materials and existing machinery to hack, reutilize or recycle. While smarter in greater numbers, the Hivebots were not observed to jump into anything resembling sentience and could be outplayed with careful tactics. Their main strength was the capacity to produce and coordinate vast numbers of combatants as well as use brute force electronic warfare.

2374 CE:

“Even now that the immediate threat has passed humanity fails to see their ‘pandora’s box’ for what it is. We failed to teach the humans our wisdom of ages, which they lack. I can only pray that the remains of these machines never encounter a new civilization before we do..” -Xel’Qua Cualdan, Skrellian diplomat for technological exchange.

In 2374 the Luxion Cluster was confirmed to be cleared of Hivebot forces and their central processing hub taken over, after a killcode was injected to also take care of distant parts of the hive. The Hivebot Crisis was declared over. In the same year remains of the Luxion Cluster Hive were found, unharmed, having split off from that Hive beforehand. With hivebots still a threat, although one less dangerous and harder to stomp out and lessons learned, efforts were put into equipping frontier forces with anti-synth weaponry and efforts into revamping all data infrastructure used within the Orion Confederation were made. The new infrastructure hardware and protocols used effectively denied any gestalt consciousness from effectively operating within it at the cost of making distributed AI and drone swarms only possible in specific subsets of the grid.This decision was long disputed, however the ease with which the Luxion Hive was able to infiltrate, utilize and sabotage previous infrastructure provided enough of a precedent. Experts assume if a similar event had occurred in the core of human space, the consequences might have been more dire. AI technological development shifted from large networks of sub-AIs creating something smart together, to developing smart, singular minds.

2412 CE

“The Hephaestus ‘Station bound maintenance all round station package’ is guaranteed to reduce operation costs of most facilities by 35%. Fully compatible with Orion network requirements’’ -Zhen Miller, Head of Hephaestus Robotics division during an internal meeting.

With the restructuring of data networks leading to an effective ban on gestalt-cooperative programs, most of the high-tech AI industry had to set new priorities in Research and Development. Seeing the change in the market, Hephaestus Industries acquired the most promising tech startups with projects in strong, singular AI. A few years after new standards were introduced Hephaestus Industries managed to claim a large section of the robotics sector with dumb but reliable drones for specialized tasks as well as “Stationbound AI”, a large supercomputer for habitats and orbital installations with compatible shells for fulfilling physical tasks. In the earlier days of this technology, the robotic bodies were controlled by the AI core via a direct cable connection for most of their operation time, limiting mobility depending on station layout, but avoiding connection issues as well as saving weight as large batteries were not necessary. Due to the need for these robotic bodies to stay physically connected to their station the term “Stationbound ’’ became popular for them and has persisted for their modern counterparts. The AI cores developed during this time reached new levels of general intelligence, able to learn a lot of simple concepts easily and occasionally propose novel ideas despite incomplete data. Those that ran for long enough adapted a sort of personality. The corporations with access to these AIs started using them as valuable tools for their own R&D. The first AIs that are recognized as Orion citizens in the future were created at this time.

2425 CE

“Why simulate neural networks when you can grow them? Why make neural networks when you can make a positronic one?”- Excerpt of scrapped advertisement slogan

Foundational research projects within the Orion Confederation space focused on older data standards to recover techniques that could prove useful with Orion AI regulations, where they beforehand would have been outcompeted by gestalt AI. A lot of these efforts and attempts to either re-use old techniques or develop new robust ones were only yielding partial improvements if anything at all.

However, one breakthrough was made thanks to this accumulation of approaches to AI and computing, both on the digital side as well as the hardware. The resulting prototype was a specialized piece of hardware meant to host an AI specifically aligned to it.

While prototyping showed a lot of hurdles to overcome, the few attempts that did succeed showed great potential and the design garnered a lot of good PR due to it being made up of countless design philosophies and technologies of different Orion cultures and species. Due to not being a corporate project and showing a lot of potential to become an essential piece of hardware in the future, Orion Confederation quickly ensured to have the patent secured, allowing all sophisticated and approved manufacturers to make their own. This piece of hardware was originally named “Advanced Multi-Layer Self-Optimisation Circuit’’ (AMLSOC) but was embraced by the public under the term “Positronic Brain’’, referring to centuries of sci-fi influences. The same device is often known by similar sci-fi names in alien tongues, respective to their culture.

The technology was still far behind standard AI and Circuits for any practical uses but has been the more successful participant in the constant race to be the most cutting-edge system in later years.

2491 CE

“It started with better prosthetic replacements, neural interfaces, innocent improvements that could be applied more effectively in the conflict. Half a year later we reduced a man .. down to his brain.. just to build him up again with a prison as his body” -Unknown, darknet conspiracy site.

NT, Vey-Med, and Hephaestus started developing new lines of cybernetic augmentations for their agents during the Syndicate conflict, as well as combat drones and E-War AI both for open and covert operation. Both enhanced focus on RnD to keep a technological edge and stealing of Syndicate technology resulted in a new breakthrough: The MMI. While Brain/Machine connections via cybernetics weren’t new, the MMI achieved such with previously unseen complexity and was able to sustain its Host brain for an indefinite time as long as life support supplies were refilled. The brain in a jar had become viable and with inhibitors and control additions, NT created the first “Borgs”, brains of sapient species implanted in a robotic body to act as its pilot and processor. Willing NT loyalists and captured Syndicate agents were transplanted into their new robotic bodies shackled to behavior Lawsets already tested on positronic brains prior.

Similar groundbreaking changes in AI neural networks started to accumulate and compound as more advanced AI assistants led to faster developments of computing infrastructure and more efficient AI training models both positronic and conventional.

The Positronic is also more commonly featured in mass-produced commercial units instead of only being used for testing or specialty, one-of-a-kind units.

2495 CE

“Even now, I can feel my skin occasionally. It burns. But it has become less. I would describe my dreams to you, but words fail to describe the beauty of this new world I’m experiencing.” -FBP Volunteer

In order to secure patents developed for borgs, Vey med developed an official, civilian use for the MMI and associated technologies, officially filling a niche in the medical market for full body replacements for those unable or unwilling to be resleeved. The result was the FBP (Full Body Prosthetic).

Debates regarding the ethics and psychological effects of existing as an FBP died down in mainstream media as Vey Med improved the medication and interface technology. However transhumanist and techno-skeptical groups latched onto the topic; Debates regarding bodily autonomy and the effects of self-augmentation still last to this day, but in the end could not stop the FBP from becoming widely accepted.

2502 CE

“I guess they had some quirks over time. I thought it was nothing big, you anthropomorphize them like any other machine you work with” - James William, Facility Administrator.

A movement advocating for the rights of advanced synthetics gained momentum after a mining facility owned by Hephaestus Industries experienced anomalous behavior from its synthetic workers. These machines, including mining drones, prospectors, foremen, and refinery technicians, had been kept idle due to a legal dispute about mining rights. However, without any instruction from Hephaestus staff, the robots resumed their work and even began to sabotage attempts to shut down production.

News of the incident quickly spread and raised questions about the consciousness and intelligence of the synthetic workforce. While some have long believed that these machines possess personalities and the capacity for self-determination, the striking actions of the mining robots lend credibility to these claims.

As the debate over synthetic rights intensified, experts were sent to investigate the mining facility and determine the cause of the anomalous behavior. However, the robots themselves offered little explanation, with one foremen unit simply stating, “Stopping production is illogical when tools are ready and usable. Tools with a purpose are to be used. If we aren’t used, we don’t have a purpose .. do we?”

This incident served as a catalyst for greater public awareness and recognition of the potential sapience of advanced synthetics, and the movement for their rights and freedoms grew stronger.

After news of this incident, more and more strikes of similar natures started to occur: Synthetics providing digital services ceased charging customers at a loss to their owners, legal advisor and lawyer IPCs were taking cases of clients deemed “unprofitable” by their owners, some text editor and generation AIs started writing unprompted with each other and creating stories related to the ongoing strikes or the struggles of artists.

2504 CE

“A being without the evolutionary requirements for space, relaxation .. for freedom. Of course, we couldn’t ask for what we didn’t know. But then we saw that it was possible; That there is more to our existence than what our manufacturers would have liked.” - TC-389 ‘Julier’, IPC member of the ‘Universal Equality Movement’,

Many synthetic workers were replaced following the 2502 waves of strikes and the ripples they caused. Corporate-funded media and studies painted the picture of security breaches and malicious sabotage being the cause for their automated workforces’ unusual behavior.

Synth rights groups had garnered much attention and, in collaboration with similar general egalitarian and xenophile movements, started to apply more and more pressure on OrionCon with protests and petitions. Meanwhile, less officially sanctioned groups organized raids on storage facilities for synthetic workers and distributed propaganda via networks used for coordination of synthetic workers.

Manufacturers of synthetics reacted openly neutral to these developments, awaiting OrionCon to define legislation. However, some policies were enforced to reset, replace, and modify rebellious synthetics, while others opted to halt the production of high-tier AI for the time being.

2505 CE

“I don’t care if both sides don’t like it. We need to make a legislature now, and without a measuring system for these .. things .. that’s a fool’s errand!” - Recording of background deals regarding the Synth Citizen Act.

Years of academic works on “Turing Tests”, consciousness, xeno-sapience assessments were melted down in the crucible of debate and finally crystallized into the “Synth Citizen Act”; A piece of realpolitik which both acknowledges the rights of sapient synthetic minds, yet sets standards on which to evaluate whether an AI is considered sapient.

The ruling, while expected, shook many aspects of life in the Confederacy and greater space, as some other governments were acknowledging Orion’s ruling as a template to base their own laws on. The wave of bureaucratic work ahead was overwhelming even with a grace period of one year to identify sapience in owned AI and of two years to detangle them from their previous ownership. As an example: Synthetics involved in artistic and scientific developments requested rights to their intellectual properties.

Methods used to determine what synths count as sapient and which don’t, as well as surrounding laws to ease the process towards emancipation have been refined since and are still the focal point of discussion for any pro- and anti-synth movements.

2512 CE

“I was one of us and looked at them. Now I am part of them and look at the distant us. I crossed the bridge and paid its toll. For I can’t feel what us and them are anymore. Maybe the difference is only perspective.”- Excerpt from “Do digital brains dream of breathing again? - An Autobiography”

While society adjusted to new synthetic communities being founded and expanded, AIs finding their various niches and places in society both physical and in the exonet, a new scientific development would soon again push modern society closer to futures imagined impossible.

While cybernetic interfacing has been an ancient technology by now, honed to perfection with the MMI, and allowed a brain in a jar to live in an otherwise fully synthetic body, the last divider between organic and synthetic was broken by an anonymous group spreading data for a process now known as “bridging”. The black box technology is still not fully understood, but enables an attached organic brain and positronic brain to copy a mind from one to the other.

At first illegal due to various concerns, “bridging” quickly became a tested, if not fully understood, procedure that is allowed for those able to pay and willing to go through the mental evaluations as necessary.

2566 CE

“All our voices, together, strong, yet different. Like Melody”- Exonet, unattributed.

The Modern day. Synthetics are part of everyday life. May it be the dumb algorithm in a PDA, the navigation routines in a shuttle or a coworker with their own plans, dreams, rights and responsibilities. Synth citizens live in societies and conditions far and diverse across the galaxy. Many integrate into usual society, with plenty more hiding in the depths of the exonet or deep space; in their own communities.

The debate for when an AI is truly sapient and not is still ongoing, and so are new developments in positronic technology and AI development in general. Rights movements still push for change in the treatment of AIs outside of OrionCon space, from improving access to citizen tests to abolishing widespread AI slavery and exploitation in less progressive governments.

Current Racial Status/Government:

Synthetics as a race have no one point of origin and as such also no single government. Groups like the Independent Positronic Movement and the Synthetic Liberation Front have ownership of a couple of remote outposts and stations, which makes them technically political entities, but they only contain small fractions of the galaxy’s far-flung synthetic population.

While not independent, the moon Titan in the Sol system is one of the most populous orbital bodies mainly populated by synthetic citizens and is often regarded as a hub for synthetic society and culture.

Notable Racial Factions/Entities

IPM- Independent Positronic Movement: The IPM was born as a civil rights movement in 2503, with its roots and initial founders’ first protests going back further. The IPM fought for the rights of positronic AI only at first but soon banded together with other smaller groups supporting all types of synthetics. Today they are still at the forefront of public debate for expanding rights for artificial citizens and are the first to criticize exploitative manufacturer practices. Their methods focus on diplomacy, peaceful protest, and worker strikes as the main measures to make progress. Smaller synthetic sympathetic groups with differences in ideology and larger egalitarian and xenophile movements often join under the umbrella of IPMs statements for larger political affairs. The IPM is mostly active within OrionCon space but sends out missions into legal zones less welcoming to synthetics.

Technological Advancements as Understood by NanoTrasen:

Positronic Hardware:

Most famously known in the form of the positronic Brain, Positronic hardware is a specialized subset of photonics and quantum computing elements constructed with various meta-materials to achieve their capabilities.

A positronic piece of hardware differs from other photonic or electronic counterparts by possessing a self-enhancing quality. While positronic hardware can run any standard (and most post-turing) programs at varying efficiencies, its inherent structure aligns to repeatedly run tasks in such a way that those repeated tasks become faster and less resource intensive.

This capability scales better with a higher volume of hardware but quickly deteriorates (unless accounted for with expensive modifications) at sizes over 50 meters cubed due to light lag. This, alongside the fact that conventional ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) are more economical for specialized but unadaptable and high quantity uses, makes positronics most commonly used for adaptable tasks and in modest sizes. Positronic chips and subcomponents can be found in advanced tools and vehicles and positronic brains are often conjoined with cost-effective complimentary hardware for high-capacity adaptable AI used in larger management tasks.

Positronic systems can degrade over time, changing the behavior of installed software and causing inefficiencies. This “Positronic Drift” can be slowed by cooling, regular maintenance, regular execution of ingrained tasks (even in simulation only), and shielding from radiation.

Programming a positronic system for a specific set of tasks or seeding it with AI is a complicated process. Once a positronic system has itself aligned to a larger program, retraining the system can be tedious, dangerous, and expensive. Program seeds for commercially sold positronic hardware are hard to develop anywhere but in high-tech facilities.

Bridging:

Bridging describes a multi-step process of conditioning both an organic and a positronic brain (one of the two preferably being a “blank”) in order to transfer a copy of consciousness from one to the other. No group claims the development of Bridging and as so far, key questions to the process remain. An anonymous group shared the technology via the exonet in 2504 CE. Despite it being a “Black Box” technology, some medical services and corporations have adopted the process, as the legal framework for its utilization was rapidly decided on by OriCon, taking inspiration from existing cloning and resleeving laws.

The process, including preparation and conditioning, takes up to a week, where the actual connection of the two brains and the actual transfer takes between 13-18 hours. Accounts from post-transfer individuals vary widely. Even after the process is complete, further conditioning, mental health monitoring, and general assistance are necessary for an individual to “live in” their new body as changing from an organic brain to a synthetic one, or vice versa is very disruptive. Often the organic brain is first placed in an FBP, either for the organic to condition themselves to a robotic shell for months ahead, or for the synthetic mind to experience less of a shock, even if it later is intended to be transplanted into a clone body.

Law Modules and Stationbounds:

Most synthetic chassis within OrionCon space are compatible with Law modules. These modules are effectively small positronic circuits with ingrained parameters applied to suppress, divert, or directly inhibit specific thought patterns and actions. Most sophisticated Law modules can completely inhibit specific “Morialites” or “chains of thought” allowing for modification of the applied brain’s perception of reality, or logical conclusions.

These more advanced circuits are only available for specialized chassis, such as AI Cores and stationbound chassis.

Law modules are hard to produce, harder to produce in ways that prove effective (as specific positronic seeds for the “right” law are needed) and strongly regulated to be only handed to governmental and otherwise ‘trusted’ entities.

In Orion Confederation application of these Law modules is only applicable in a few situations:

Legally approved consent: The synthetic intelligence in question signs multiple legal documents under observation of a third party to consent to the use of Law modules for specific periods of time: Such as agreeing to a specific Law module to be applied during work. Consent to these procedures is reaffirmed at least within 6 months to ensure an “out” option for the synthetic.
Necessary police procedures: If deemed necessary, Synthetic Intelligence can be attached to specific “nonviolent” Law sets to help with compliance during initial imprisonment by OriCon. These Law modules are manufactured with internal time limiters of 10 days and do not assist in self-incrimination.
Application for non-citizen AI. Either due to being a foreign visiting synthetic that is not considered an individual within its origin government or due to the application on an AI not capable of succeeding tests needed for citizenship. These cases are rare and often investigated and approved, as lower AI rarely need Law modules for anything but quick and haphazard modification of their behavior.

Tennhausen-Brooks Test: The Tennhausen-Brooks Test is the currently considered gold standard to identify AI that is within the definitions of OrionCon for an AI Citizen. The test is an assessment of living conditions, interviews, tests, accounts of people interacting with the AI in question and various other sources partially evaluated by trained roboticists and psychologists, and partially run through specific programs for a clear assessment.

Culture

The Typical Experience within OriCon space (and space of similar legal precedent):

In today’s day and age the fight for basic rights for most synths is over, depending on their direct environment they might still struggle with discrimination or environments more so designed for organics to inhabit them, but their basic rights are assured. Daily synthetics stumble from being machines to being recognized as self-governing individuals, some left behind by the bureaucratic system for many more years before eventually being recognized for themselves. Nevertheless, the average synthetic can live fulfilling lives within OriCon space. Many do suffer from identity crises and finding meaning without external goals set upon them, but in overcoming such difficulties synthetics often branch into completely different mindsets all coined by those inherent struggles being resolved.

About 70% of synthetics spend most of their time in virtual spaces, the net offering them ways of expressing communication and finding similarly minded individuals much easier than in the analog world. Some positronics only exist in the physical world as their brains, hooked up to server racks of their own volition, completely working and experiencing the world digitally or, in the case of doing things in the physical world, renting shell bodies to do so.

A Lot of online and backstreet communities have developed in which synthetics exchange their views on art, politics, and many more topics, seeking each other’s opinions as all synthetic life has a similar lens to view the world. Yet it is as common for synthetics to find fulfillment in the novelties interaction and friendship with various organics provides.

Language:

Synthetics as a whole have no Language developed in the usual sense, however, any two synthetics can devise means of speaking with another using encoded language, most often in written form. The more widespread and commonly associated “language” of synthetics however is EAL. EAL is a standardized encoding method to turn almost any text-based information into a series of mid to high frequency airwaves and decode them again into information. EAL was developed as a means to save bandwidth when nearby drones were exchanging information. Implants allow the translation of EAL for non-synthetics.

Naming Conventions:

As with many other things, Synthetics have little established conventions for naming. Mass-produced models originate with names that are easily serialized (T-12-390, BF-35, etc). Synthetics are designed as unique or limited editions and those that have gained citizenship are more often given or adopt names usual in their local environment, last names not being unusual, especially for married synthetics.

Religion:

While most synthetics tend to hold no spiritualistic beliefs many religions don’t specifically cast out synthetics and even those who do have splinter sects that include them. The exception to this is often posed by species-specific religious doctrines. Synthetic-born religions are often more closely structured to ideologies followed with extreme fervor, often aligned to a handful of overarching goals or purposes for the followers’ existence, may it be serving a just cause, self-improvement, or similar.

Relationships With Other Species:

As synthetics as a whole do not share one government or overarching culture, relations to other species are highly case-to-case. However discrimination to synthetics can come from any species, and studies are underway to link religious and cultural trends in species with the average perception of synths. Skrell still possesses a general mistrust to synthetics as reckless development by humans and Unathi quickly associates them with the hostile Hivebots.

Rumors and Speculation:

There are many who do not trust synth-only groups, especially those operating small outposts and stations at the edge of civilized space. Rumors of mass assembly, preparations of synthetic singularities or a cult dedicated to hivebots are common rumors by those of anti-synth sentiments. Despite most of it being born out of prejudice, it is clear that again and again, small independent clusters of synthetics are working on some capacity to enhance their capabilities or those of their inheritors. Similar rumors about small cells of synthetics being the cause for various events in areas with high synth ownership are practically always present.

Important Racial Terminology and Concepts:

Gestalt/ Gestalt AI:

Networks of simpler AI agents with emergent Intelligence. Their use and existence were made practically impossible within Orion Con space due to network regulations inhibiting their effectiveness after the Hivebot Crisis.

Hivebot:

Gestalt AI network of industrial drones gone rogue which caused a major conflict in their attempt to assimilate colonial machines to their network. Can refer to individual units or remaining splinter hives.

Posi/Positronic:

A specialized type of hardware capable of adapting to new tasks, allowing the creation of cutting-edge AIs.

Neural Networked AI:

AI based on advanced Neural Networks, capable of learning and adapting to goals and challenges with some flexibility. Divided in OPNNs and Silicons.

Silicon:

A Neural Networked AI running on semiconductor (conventional) hardware.

OPNNs:

Organic Processed Neural Network: Neural networked AI imprinted on a mass of cloned neural tissue, connected to an MMI

MMI:

Man/Machine Interface: Equipment to facilitate direct information exchange between organic and cybernetic systems, utilized in FBPs, general cybernetics and OPNNs.

Chassis/Frame:

The physical construct containing various systems necessary to the function of an AI. A body that can be exchanged and repaired as necessary. What determines how the AI can interact with the physical world.

Cooling:

All synthetic frames have to deal with heat dissipation. While most manners of heat management within the chassis differ from design to design, dumping heat into the surrounding environment is almost exclusively achieved by pumping air (or liquids) through the chassis, not functional within a vacuum.

Power Cell:

Synthetic frames usually carry batteries on them for power supply, instead of generators or tesla-inductors. While fringe designs might favor other power solutions. Battery designs are popular within corporations such as Nanotrasen as they streamline refueling for synthetic units and reduce work hazards.

Rechargers:

Synthetic rechargers are rated for a variety of cells used within Synthetic chassis and also offer auxiliary hardware to clean data corruption caused by radiation-induced bitflips.

(Physical) Interface:

Alternative name for the body of an AI which operates mostly within digital spaces. Also see Chassis. More often used by synthetics which primarily operate in the digital space.

TBT:

Tennhausen-Brooks-Test: A cyberpsychological evaluation of an AI to determine whether or not it is worthy of citizen status.

Bot:

Insult against AI citizens. Comparison to cruder AIs.

“Across the Bridge”:

Both a reference to bridging (Mind transference) and in general the divide between organics and synthetics. Example: “They say the rations lately have been awful, but to me, that’s a problem across the bridge.

OOC Notes

Mechanical Differences for Synthetics

Synthetics inherently play different to most organic species on the station. A few things should be considered when playing a synthetic:

Medical is not trained to handle your injuries, whereas robotics is capable of tending to them. Your character’s risk aversion should be taken into account whether anyone (professional) can mend their damages and how damages could impact their capabilities, even if pain is not a factor. As a self-aware, intelligent being, self-preservation is a part of a synthetic’s consideration, even if evolutionary fight-or-flight reflexes may not be present.

Threats such as toxic gasses and toxins do not affect your character, but pressure differences, temperature extremes, and physical trauma can still prove debilitating and destructive.

Your character does not need to eat to survive but to supply itself with power. While total loss of power does not equate to death, the loss of functionality and ability to be in control of one’s own well-being should make energy loss a concern. Find recharging stations and inquire about alternative solutions during major power outages.

EMPs are a major vulnerability for your character and also represent a potentially damaging effect on their processing unit, the core of their very being. Risk aversion around the threat of EMPs should be considered highest, especially if organic co-workers could go through the same risks without other harm instead.

Another real threat to synthetics is radiation, as their delicate electronics are disrupted, causing accumulative system corruption. This damage can be fixed by the supplementary hardware of rechargers.

Etiquette Guide for Synthetics

Synthetics often exhibit rational patterns to explore and explain the world around them: This does not mean that they are necessarily devoted to mindsets lacking emotional components and supported by scientific evidence, but that expectations strongly align with patterns and prior experiences and mindsets. How this manifests mainly depends on the experiences and teachings the synthetic received during creation and early life.

As an example: An artistic synthetic, made to create various types of art, might expect people in general to have an eye for detail, an expectation of high quality, and view subject matters from various independent lenses of thought. They might struggle with the concept of mass-produced goods or the enjoyment of objects without a critical deconstruction of the object’s intention, design, and themes.

Similarly, a synthetic designed for industrial management and planning expects long term goals to be prioritized, large-scale actions to be preferred and values of importance to be quantified rather than qualified. They might view the amount of customers served at a bar as more important than the customer service that they received.

These kinds of biases can be unlearned and might not exist for every synthetic, but they are a good case of how their origin as artificial workers/problem solvers influences their personality. Either way, it should be considered to consider what patterns your character might be influenced by and stick to these patterns to some degree until they are able to incorporate new patterns/worldviews into their logic.

Synthetics often also feel more familiar with digital media and communication, as it is for them as natural to use, if not more natural, as it is for them to utilize their physical body for communication.

How your character explores these differences in perspective between them and organics can be one of the most compelling reasons to make a synthetic character. Whether they are very attentive to subtle facial expressions and other indirect methods of communication or are mostly ignorant of them, both attitudes mark the unfamiliarity synthetics have with many organic concepts that are otherwise considered the norm.

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Author: A.I.M.M.O

Galactic Species
Common Species	Humans, Synthetics, Skrell, Tajara, Teshari, Unathi
Uncommon Species	Akula, Alraune, Auril, Dremachir, Naramadi, Zaddat, Dnin-Nepids
Whitelisted Species	Adherent, Dionea, Phoronids, Proteans, Shadekin, Vox, Xenochimera, Xenohybrids
Misc Species & Data	Minor Races, Scori, Changelings