OK, blame M Fnord and the rest of the Candle crew for getting me off my ass and working on these. I was (as always, slowly. Grrr...) working on some fic ideas involving these when I caught the latest Mk. II Candle chapter and got inspired.
Why can't this happen for my stories?!?
Ahem.
Comment would be very welcome, as per usual.
First up, the Wrist-com update...
==Com-links (Wrist-Com Mk. III)==
In 2016, A.C. significantly re-designed the wrist-coms using new technologies and tacking advantage of further technology development.
The first new technology introduced was ‘’’Quantum Dot Camera-Displays’’’, an array of fullerene structures that act as both display and camera. This allowed A.C. to remove the touch-screen and cameras, plus allowing full coverage stealth on the device. Besides being semi-projective and touch sensitive in themselves and allowing real-time 3D visuals, combined with advancements in other technologies (Li-Fi compatibility was also introduced), it allowed enough space for a proper holo-projector and the second new technology.
This was the ‘’’Neural Induction Pad’’’. An extrapolation of the Neural Induction Helments used by [[Fen Sports#King of Fen-ers|KoFen] among others, it attached to the users Kinaesthetic sense allowing the use of a holo-terminal (or AR terminal for those with privacy concerns).
Mil-spec com-links (called a ‘’Patrol Link’’, in keeping with tradition.’Tradition’ being one previous type, but you know Fen.) not only took advantage of the reduction in bulk granted by the civilian version, but with the combination of the bio-monitor and neural induction pad into the sensor arrayTechnically speaking, only the NIP got integrated, as it in combination with the sensor array could ‘’also’’ act as a bio-monitor. allowed the use of more powerful processors making it more of a computer than a smartphone.
==Omni-Tools==
Once it was shown to be possible to integrate interactive holo-graphics in a simple manner, several other companies started work on other products using the same features. One of the more common ideas was adaption of the [[Sensor Technology#Handheld Sensors|Tacorder]. The end result was like a cut-down version of the Patrol Link, pretty much a wearable Tablet PC with Wi-Fi and a sensor suite. These became popular with those who wanted or needed more computer power than a standard com-link and didn’t stray much from well-connected areas. These became known as ‘’’Omni-tools’’’.
==Mk. II Com-links/ Mk. IV Wrist-coms ==
2019 bought about another update to the Wrist-com/Com-link. Outside general improvements (higher resolution displays, faster data transmission, updated coms-protocols), the main improvements was in computing capacity. This allowed a ‘’’Muse’’’ to be installed, and allowed the use of several ‘’’V.I.s’’’ at once.
The Mil-spec version also had improved sensor ranges (up to 20 Metres).
And now the A.I. update...
=== Virtual Intelligences===
In 2016, [[ACP Engineering Company#Orion Computer Products|OCP] (a.k.a. [[Lebia Maverick]), released by GPL the ‘’’SmartEngine Agent’’’. Some wag on the InterWave called them ‘Visionaire Intelligences’, which was immediately turned into Virtual Intelligences and thus ‘’’V.I.s’’’.
These semi-autonomous agents are genius-level tools (they are rated 0.6 to 0.75 DeltaThat is, 60 to 75% above the base Delta classification.), performing their tasks far more quickly than any human.
They consist of four main components:
* The SmartEngine kernel
* A Persona module – This gives the agent some personality for interaction. Besides several generic options, several well-known A.I.s have licenced (or sell directly) their likenesses for this use.[[Trigon] also did this, but it got withdrawn and edited after it was found to be a bit ‘’too’’ much like him.
* A Memory Management Controller – This allows the agent to store settings and a small interaction database.
* The Knowledge Database – This is the most complicated part of the agent, consisting of a multi-path relational database of actions and reactions.
A V.I. is tremendously helpful, but quite hard to make the database for. To show the utility of the V.I. system, OPC arranged a demonstration. Two [[Warsies|Warsie] pilots were chosen and put into otherwise identical A-Wings at the Warsie flight school and set into a best of five dogfight. One was an A-Wing instructor, the other was a skilled X-Wing pilot who got the V.I.
The result was not the easy win for the instructor the observers expected, but a gruelling series of high-intensity dogfights that finished 3-2 to the instructor by the barest of margins.
It is possible to optimise a V.I., making it even faster and smaller, but it comes at the downside that it can’t swap databases or persona (as they are compiled into the agent), making it necessary to swap the complete agent to use another and to properly upgrade it rather than switch the database for an up-to-date version.
The main limitations to V.I.s are their focus and the difficulty of crafting the database for them. A system as complicated as a fighter is about all they can manage, requiring multiple specific V.I.s for a ship (engines, sensors, navigation, etc…) with a controller V.I. managing them.Unlike a ship-mind, which intrinsically knows how to manage and use all its components.
While their utility was proven, their uptake was slow due to the above-mentioned difficulty of DB construction (especially the more complicated devices) for anyone not a Class-C A.I. themselves. To speed things up in 2017 OCP released a Mk. II version (allowing the agent to read a second database while running another) along with an optimised V.I. specifically crafted to help construct the databases.Several other authors had already done so as they got used to the construction methods.
{|{{sidebar}}
|{{tableheader}}|A Multitude of Voices…
|-
|One problem that turned up as more V.I.s got used was how to refer to collections of them. What eventually became the common name was a ‘’’Chorus’’’. As is the way, this expanded.
|-
| * ‘’’Chorus’’’ – A collection of V.I. agents working for one goal (like running a ship).
| * ‘’’Conductor’’’ – The ultimate authority over the V.I.s in use. Normally the User, but may be a Muse.
| * ‘’’Lead’’’ – In the case where there are multiple ‘’’Chorus’’’ to be managed, a separate management V.I. is normally used per ‘’’Chorus’’’. This is called the ‘’’Lead’’’ V.I.
| * ‘’’Choir’’’ – A level of priority for agents. A ‘’’Chorus’’’ of ‘’Leads’’ are of a different ‘’’Choir’’’ in this case. Normally referred to by rank, with higher values being lower priority e.g. the second/2nd ‘’’Choir’’’ is of higher rank than the fourth/4th ‘’’Choir’’’.
| * ‘’’Orchestra’’’ – A large collection of V.I.s, normally of three or more ‘’’Choirs’’’. Sometimes broken into ‘’’Sections’’’.
| * ‘’’Section’’’ – A subdivision of an ‘’’Orchestra’’’.
|-
|The only known regularly in use Orchestra is in the systems of the [[Alexandria Archive].
|}
===Muses===
2018 saw the release of ‘’’Muses’’’, personal assistance agents with some learning abilities (normally used to learn the personality/behaviour of their User). They come with a bewildering array of persona options, and are able to manage most of its User’s equipment and V.I.s. This gives a Muse a 0.85 Delta rating.
Some people don’t seem to get on with muses; this is mostly down to not understanding that they take a few months to establish their reaction database and not choosing the persona options carefully.
Other people don’t like the idea of muses, and avoid them.
Those who ‘’do’’ get on with their muse find them an excellent partner, and wonder how they got on without one. No-one’s '‘married’’ their muse, but one user showed heavy grief when he lost his (and his arm). He lucked out, as muses can be backed up (and it had done so automatically).
So, what do you think?
Why can't this happen for my stories?!?
Ahem.
Comment would be very welcome, as per usual.
First up, the Wrist-com update...
==Com-links (Wrist-Com Mk. III)==
In 2016, A.C. significantly re-designed the wrist-coms using new technologies and tacking advantage of further technology development.
The first new technology introduced was ‘’’Quantum Dot Camera-Displays’’’, an array of fullerene structures that act as both display and camera. This allowed A.C. to remove the touch-screen and cameras, plus allowing full coverage stealth on the device. Besides being semi-projective and touch sensitive in themselves and allowing real-time 3D visuals, combined with advancements in other technologies (Li-Fi compatibility was also introduced), it allowed enough space for a proper holo-projector and the second new technology.
This was the ‘’’Neural Induction Pad’’’. An extrapolation of the Neural Induction Helments used by [[Fen Sports#King of Fen-ers|KoFen] among others, it attached to the users Kinaesthetic sense allowing the use of a holo-terminal (or AR terminal for those with privacy concerns).
Mil-spec com-links (called a ‘’Patrol Link’’, in keeping with tradition.’Tradition’ being one previous type, but you know Fen.) not only took advantage of the reduction in bulk granted by the civilian version, but with the combination of the bio-monitor and neural induction pad into the sensor arrayTechnically speaking, only the NIP got integrated, as it in combination with the sensor array could ‘’also’’ act as a bio-monitor. allowed the use of more powerful processors making it more of a computer than a smartphone.
==Omni-Tools==
Once it was shown to be possible to integrate interactive holo-graphics in a simple manner, several other companies started work on other products using the same features. One of the more common ideas was adaption of the [[Sensor Technology#Handheld Sensors|Tacorder]. The end result was like a cut-down version of the Patrol Link, pretty much a wearable Tablet PC with Wi-Fi and a sensor suite. These became popular with those who wanted or needed more computer power than a standard com-link and didn’t stray much from well-connected areas. These became known as ‘’’Omni-tools’’’.
==Mk. II Com-links/ Mk. IV Wrist-coms ==
2019 bought about another update to the Wrist-com/Com-link. Outside general improvements (higher resolution displays, faster data transmission, updated coms-protocols), the main improvements was in computing capacity. This allowed a ‘’’Muse’’’ to be installed, and allowed the use of several ‘’’V.I.s’’’ at once.
The Mil-spec version also had improved sensor ranges (up to 20 Metres).
And now the A.I. update...
=== Virtual Intelligences===
In 2016, [[ACP Engineering Company#Orion Computer Products|OCP] (a.k.a. [[Lebia Maverick]), released by GPL the ‘’’SmartEngine Agent’’’. Some wag on the InterWave called them ‘Visionaire Intelligences’, which was immediately turned into Virtual Intelligences and thus ‘’’V.I.s’’’.
These semi-autonomous agents are genius-level tools (they are rated 0.6 to 0.75 DeltaThat is, 60 to 75% above the base Delta classification.), performing their tasks far more quickly than any human.
They consist of four main components:
* The SmartEngine kernel
* A Persona module – This gives the agent some personality for interaction. Besides several generic options, several well-known A.I.s have licenced (or sell directly) their likenesses for this use.[[Trigon] also did this, but it got withdrawn and edited after it was found to be a bit ‘’too’’ much like him.
* A Memory Management Controller – This allows the agent to store settings and a small interaction database.
* The Knowledge Database – This is the most complicated part of the agent, consisting of a multi-path relational database of actions and reactions.
A V.I. is tremendously helpful, but quite hard to make the database for. To show the utility of the V.I. system, OPC arranged a demonstration. Two [[Warsies|Warsie] pilots were chosen and put into otherwise identical A-Wings at the Warsie flight school and set into a best of five dogfight. One was an A-Wing instructor, the other was a skilled X-Wing pilot who got the V.I.
The result was not the easy win for the instructor the observers expected, but a gruelling series of high-intensity dogfights that finished 3-2 to the instructor by the barest of margins.
It is possible to optimise a V.I., making it even faster and smaller, but it comes at the downside that it can’t swap databases or persona (as they are compiled into the agent), making it necessary to swap the complete agent to use another and to properly upgrade it rather than switch the database for an up-to-date version.
The main limitations to V.I.s are their focus and the difficulty of crafting the database for them. A system as complicated as a fighter is about all they can manage, requiring multiple specific V.I.s for a ship (engines, sensors, navigation, etc…) with a controller V.I. managing them.Unlike a ship-mind, which intrinsically knows how to manage and use all its components.
While their utility was proven, their uptake was slow due to the above-mentioned difficulty of DB construction (especially the more complicated devices) for anyone not a Class-C A.I. themselves. To speed things up in 2017 OCP released a Mk. II version (allowing the agent to read a second database while running another) along with an optimised V.I. specifically crafted to help construct the databases.Several other authors had already done so as they got used to the construction methods.
{|{{sidebar}}
|{{tableheader}}|A Multitude of Voices…
|-
|One problem that turned up as more V.I.s got used was how to refer to collections of them. What eventually became the common name was a ‘’’Chorus’’’. As is the way, this expanded.
|-
| * ‘’’Chorus’’’ – A collection of V.I. agents working for one goal (like running a ship).
| * ‘’’Conductor’’’ – The ultimate authority over the V.I.s in use. Normally the User, but may be a Muse.
| * ‘’’Lead’’’ – In the case where there are multiple ‘’’Chorus’’’ to be managed, a separate management V.I. is normally used per ‘’’Chorus’’’. This is called the ‘’’Lead’’’ V.I.
| * ‘’’Choir’’’ – A level of priority for agents. A ‘’’Chorus’’’ of ‘’Leads’’ are of a different ‘’’Choir’’’ in this case. Normally referred to by rank, with higher values being lower priority e.g. the second/2nd ‘’’Choir’’’ is of higher rank than the fourth/4th ‘’’Choir’’’.
| * ‘’’Orchestra’’’ – A large collection of V.I.s, normally of three or more ‘’’Choirs’’’. Sometimes broken into ‘’’Sections’’’.
| * ‘’’Section’’’ – A subdivision of an ‘’’Orchestra’’’.
|-
|The only known regularly in use Orchestra is in the systems of the [[Alexandria Archive].
|}
===Muses===
2018 saw the release of ‘’’Muses’’’, personal assistance agents with some learning abilities (normally used to learn the personality/behaviour of their User). They come with a bewildering array of persona options, and are able to manage most of its User’s equipment and V.I.s. This gives a Muse a 0.85 Delta rating.
Some people don’t seem to get on with muses; this is mostly down to not understanding that they take a few months to establish their reaction database and not choosing the persona options carefully.
Other people don’t like the idea of muses, and avoid them.
Those who ‘’do’’ get on with their muse find them an excellent partner, and wonder how they got on without one. No-one’s '‘married’’ their muse, but one user showed heavy grief when he lost his (and his arm). He lucked out, as muses can be backed up (and it had done so automatically).
So, what do you think?
