Chapter 8: Medical and Biotech
Medical Gear: The only TL9 items in this section that aren't readily available are the hibernation chamber (introduced by the Meeranon, but still not common) and the pocket medic (still in development).
Medical Robots: The nursebot is reasonably uncommon, as nursing unions have vowed to fight against its introduction.
Psychiatric Equipment: The technique of persona mapping is still in its infancy, and requires a -3 penalty to both the Electronics Operation (medical) and the Psychology checks necessary to create one. Given how common telepathy is, this technique is not likely to develop quickly.
Biotech Equipment: The first artificial wombs were introduced early in this century. Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation, having been used by a certain "new religious organization" to create dozens of so-called "indigo children".
Body Modifications: In general, only basic cybernetic replacements are conducted by reputable cyberneticists, and even those are dogged by controversy. (In particular, the Deaf community includes a number of people who are strongly, "vocally" opposed to any suggestion that they need to be fixed.) Any other TL9 cybertech is only available through black market sources.
Brain Implants: As yet, none of the implants in this section are in common use. The use of neurotherapy implants and psych implants is being held back by the relative lack of development in the field of persona mapping.
Cybernetic Uplift: Predictably, PETA and other animal rights activists are stridently opposed to everything in this section! While a few visionaries among them do wonder about the possibility of creating intelligent animals who can speak for themselves, most of them simply view this sort of experimentation as pointless cruelty. (And some of the "visionaries", embracing a very romantic, "Noble Savage"-view of the animal kingdom, believe that any attempt to inflict consciousness on animals is a crime ...)
Medical Gear: The only TL9 items in this section that aren't readily available are the hibernation chamber (introduced by the Meeranon, but still not common) and the pocket medic (still in development).
Medical Robots: The nursebot is reasonably uncommon, as nursing unions have vowed to fight against its introduction.
Psychiatric Equipment: The technique of persona mapping is still in its infancy, and requires a -3 penalty to both the Electronics Operation (medical) and the Psychology checks necessary to create one. Given how common telepathy is, this technique is not likely to develop quickly.
Biotech Equipment: The first artificial wombs were introduced early in this century. Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation, having been used by a certain "new religious organization" to create dozens of so-called "indigo children".
Body Modifications: In general, only basic cybernetic replacements are conducted by reputable cyberneticists, and even those are dogged by controversy. (In particular, the Deaf community includes a number of people who are strongly, "vocally" opposed to any suggestion that they need to be fixed.) Any other TL9 cybertech is only available through black market sources.
Brain Implants: As yet, none of the implants in this section are in common use. The use of neurotherapy implants and psych implants is being held back by the relative lack of development in the field of persona mapping.
Cybernetic Uplift: Predictably, PETA and other animal rights activists are stridently opposed to everything in this section! While a few visionaries among them do wonder about the possibility of creating intelligent animals who can speak for themselves, most of them simply view this sort of experimentation as pointless cruelty. (And some of the "visionaries", embracing a very romantic, "Noble Savage"-view of the animal kingdom, believe that any attempt to inflict consciousness on animals is a crime ...)