Mobile Wetware Systems (MWS)
Section One: The Neural Interface
The most vital component to any MWS is the neural interface. Your basic
neural interface contains a cluster of six biochips embedded into the pia mater
of the brain. These chips are each dedicated to the I/O of a specific sense
with a sixth chip added to accept limited thought based command.
The details of the biochip architecture have not been declassified yet.
What is currently known about the chips is that they are 98% silicon, but have a
myelin shell. The chips interface with their respective centers of the brain
through a series of microscopic pits on the underbellies that promote dendrite
integration. The myelin sheath of the average biochip has a 40 year life-span
before deterioration occurs, after this point the chips must be removed, however
this may interrupt some of the processes of the areas of the brain that have
integrated with the chip.
The biochips are interconnected by a myelin-sheathed wire that bundles and follows the brain stem down to the base of the neck where the external jack is located. The neural jack is very similar to the jack found in your average headphone (in fact with the proper adapters one can plug their music players directly into their auditory system), however it is designed carry multiple data channels.
Section Two: External Hardware
First off is the headset. One might initially ask why a headset would be
needed when one has a neural interface, the reason is because when using the
visual/auditory features of the neural interface, the data from your eyes and
ears are cut out. This is fine when sitting at a desk in cyberspace, but a
person using a MWS requires steady access to normal sensory input. The headset
is lightweight, resembling a operator's headset; it has a one speaker for the
left ear, and a pressure pad on the other side above the ear. Coming off of the
left speaker are two apparatuses that resemble microphones, only one of which
is. The other, slightly longer one, is the laser projector that displays the 3D
computer data onto an adapted pair of glasses that one must also wear with the
setup. The headset is plugged into the external processor.
The next piece of hardware is the above-mentioned external processor, which is like the system box to a desktop computer. This is a very important component to any wetware system. The average processor has a storage capacity of 100GB active RAM, enough to store a modest bank of data and media. It is small enough to be easily clipped to ones belt or pocket. There are five jacks on it for the connection of external devices including the headset.
Hanging off the processor it a series of color-coded plugs (resembling headphone plugs) for interfacing with stationary devices and data cartridges. The yellow plug connects into the neural jack, providing the neural integration features of the rig. The red plugs is used to jack private terminals, such as home computers or other personal media devices. The green plug is used for public terminals for a wide array of uses, such as downloading and updating city maps or providing identification data. The blue plug is for use by government personnel only and it’s purposes are not available to the public. The black plug interfaces with data storage cartridges, and is not often used anymore.
Section Three: The GUI
Most MWSs come standard with the MWS-GUI2056 interface created by Edge
Incorporated. Like it's ancient predecessors, it's source code became public
domain from the Free Source Code Act of 2008 and reached near perfection before
the Free Source Code Act was declared unconstitutional on the grounds of the
Amendment of 2053.
The interface consists of the recently implemented virtual keyboard that is
translucently projected into your visual field and given tactile parameters via
the neural jack, also a motor function cut-off increases the keyboard’s realism
by giving it virtual solidity.
Using the thought controlled cursor, the icons for File Management and
General Options can be accessed along with the GUI Visual Overlay ON/OFF mental
switch. New icons appear when the external processor is connected to external
devices and terminals.
The General Options controls all the options involved with the GUI such as
multimedia settings, the translucence of the GUI, and other internal workings.
The File Management program is much like those on any other computer running an
Edge Inc. GUI. The GUI also has pre-loading programs built in for when the
external processor is plugged into a public terminal, telephone, ATM machine,
map station, or other public service device.
Section Four: Conclusion
As neural jacks and MWS hardware continues to become cheaper and more
available to the open market, more and more everyday uses for them will emerge.
Already national and state parks have installed map station interfaces all
around the parks so that tourists can download and interactive map of each
park. While the prospects for educational uses are limited because of the age
requirement imposed on neural interfaces due to brain size growth (past attempts
at installing interfaces on younger individuals eventually result in
displacement of the neural graft resulting from brain growth), teachers are now
being issued heavy discounts for MWS new “educator edition” packages to better
share knowledge and prepare for classes.
Currently 1 in 100 households have a member of their immediate family who
owns an MWS. It is projected that by 2100, after prices go down and less
evasive surgery is required, that figure will rise to 1 in 10 and soon after
replace the standard home terminal.
References:
1.) Sintel MWS Owners Manual, Sintel Inc.
Multimedia Identification Address: BOOK-SINTEL39A82BU3H975N97
2.) Neural Interfaces: An Introduction, Professor Salvador Price.
Multimedia Identification Address: ESSAY-PRICE383B39HHI39306H
3.) akumaTECH Mobile VR Headset Owners Manual, akumaTECH Corp.
Multimedia Identification Address: BOOK-AKUMATECH375G376F5TY398N
4.) MWS-GUI2056 Guide, Edge Interfaces Inc.
Multimedia Identification Address: PAMPHLET-EDGE839U36S84MO94Y8