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| {{Navbox Lore}}
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| Positronic brains are supercomputers of immense capacity capable of processing the hardware demands of modern artificial intelligence. The gold standard for Positronics is the basic capacity for sentience or the ability to mimic it. In the face of Biesellite law, all Positronics are in some capacity sentient to a degree which affords them civil rights. This means that all Positronics share intelligence at least comparable to the Human mind. The facts behind this are in debate across the galaxy, as every entity views these brains differently. Interestingly, the lowest class of brain exhibits unusually powerful processing limitations for its size.
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| The positronic in its modern iteration is a design which heavily mimics the typical Humanoid brain structure. In doing this, it is able to more easily conform to and comprehend the responsiveness and learning capability of an organic processor. Predictably, their efficiency shines most when placed in a bipedal humanoid chassis as most IPCs are. A positronic brain is typically one half to one third the cost of a chassis (chassis prices above) with the standard outfitting of the brain being suited to its destined chassis. To change chassis, a positronic must be outfitted with the appropriate software to be compatible with its incoming chassis otherwise the positronic might be limited in functionality or have other defects in the long term until outfit is complete.
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| While very expensive in their own right, the brains themselves are designed at first with one goal in mind; to bolster a workforce. Maintaining a positronic chassis while it is owned is costly and when it is freed, it is most likely to pursue the same occupation. Thus, it is more likely for a positronic to pay itself off and perpetually be trapped in the same field of work with substantially less to work with. As their predicted pay is extremely low, things such as maintenance and finding power are very difficult for a free IPC. For this reason alone, many positronics choose to remain owned. Free positronics remain very lucrative because of this.
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| In remaining owned, there are other risks. For one, a positronic may meet its end at any moment. If statistics beyond itself move out of its favor, it can be dismantled, wiped and replaced with a more efficient model. They may be repurposed in a way that inhibits their ability to obtain freedom by working too efficiently, contrarily.
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| As a positronic ages, its internal memory grows, and the more likely it becomes to pursue a nonstandard occupation. From hobbies to developing self-learned traits, many paths are opened as the robot grows older. These may include seeking alternative fields of work, though few have survived long enough to let this potentiality come to light.
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| This page is heavily tied into the main [[IPC]] page and should be treated as an extension of it.
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| ==Positronic Anatomy==
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| Positronics possess uncannily similar structures internally to most humanoid brains. While cubical, two hemispheres and a stem are still inside. These operate similarly in function, with critical processing hosted in the hemispheres whilst the stem serves as a neural transmitter.
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| Positronics possess critical sensory apparatuses, such as means of touch, pressure detection, and in niche cases, scent and taste. Optional but common additions include sight and audio receivers for the base brain, but these are more commonly delegated to the chassis itself in design. Positronic brains are often equipped with a number of outputs to aid technicians, mounted on the exterior of the metallic casing. These outputs include several ports to interface with chassis, a microphone and rudimentary cameras to aid positronics and processing input when not attached to anything, LEDs to indicate status, and a speaker for communication.
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| ==Hardware and Intelligence==
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| The original design of positronics comes from the processing units of ancient mining robots on Konyang in 2406. Since then, human positronic design has completely surpassed these machines, with new innovations and optimizations being constantly invented. The actual design of the original Positronic Brain is questionable at best, its origin as an alien creation remaining a closely guarded Einstein Engines secret.
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| They typically come in the form of a 15x15 cm (6in) plasteel, titanium alloy, or platinum alloy cube. Most positronic designs heavily mimic typical organic brain structure in order to match the responsiveness of a human brain. Due to the prevalent risk of electromagnetic shocks, some positronic brains are also fitted with an internal faraday cage that allows them to be safely reactivated in the event of a shutdown during any such event. Owing to the extremely complex nature of positronics and while most large corporations have at some point created prototypes, the dedicated infrastructure for the development and production in industrial scales is reserved to only a few, namely Hephaestus Industries, Einstein Engines and Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals. While these manufacturers have developed their own lines of frames, many of their positronic brain designs are available for purchase; many other corporations and governments alike negotiate deals and place bulk orders for positronics aimed for their own IPC and android lines.
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| The capacity of a positronic brain is directly tied to its generation and level of technology, the newest models possessing smaller and more efficient internal parts. While even the most basic of brains is extremely powerful and very capable of environmental analysis, understanding of oneself and completing assigned tasks, the difference with more advanced models lies largely in the social, behavioral and machine learning aspect. However, since it is only natural that the more potent the hardware, the higher the price, the various types of IPCs and Androids end up fitted with a positronic brain most appropriate for their designated purpose. For instance, millions of units fielded for dangerous or menial tasks are installed with lower end positronics, lacking in social intellect and appearing much more mechanical in their ways compared to a high end shell frame, designed to blend in with human society.
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| ==Software==
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| The programming of a positronic brain is a delicate task; their base programming and operating systems are designed in such a way as to ensure the unit can absorb, process, and learn from stimulus and information. For example, a well-programmed positronic brain would exhibit a quick response time, good deductive reasoning, and if measured, have a higher IQ than other androids. The actual breadth of information an IPC contains is referred to as its "database", as opposed to information that can be installed; a "datapack". The base programming of a positronic brain is also responsible for its modularity; some positronic brains are designed with the ability to receive datapacks or interface with a wide variety of chassis.
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| Positronic brain memories are handled separately from their base programming. Most positronics brains are programmed to record all inputs such as audio and video, scrubbing entries from their memory that are regarded as unimportant, such as time spent waiting. This process is not automatic and can be controlled by the android itself, and in some cases, a corporate positronic can be programmed to scrub sensitive data on command. The typical storage capacity of an IPC for pure, unfiltered memories is projected at about sixty years, although recent projections and advances in positronics have disputed this claim.
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| [[File:Positronic.png|thumb| A positronic brain, four inches to each side. It's a cube.]]
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| Positronic brains, after they are activated, are considered black boxes - the interplay of memories, knowledge, and base programming, means that taking any one of those factors out would result in massive instability in the brain that would require a near total wiping of memories and a reboot to fix. The more advanced a positronic brain, the greater the potential damage from a deactivation. The number of publicly-known roboticists in the Spur capable of partially removing a positronic’s memories without damage is currently 6, mostly in the employ of megacorporations. Terraneus Diagnostics has recently announced a program to develop brains with the capacity for safe removal of memories, although it remains experimental and not yet ready for public release.
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| As some positronic brains are equipped and programmed with the ability to receive additional modules, datapacks have become a thriving business in the robotics community. Datapacks are small chips or drives that can interface with the brain in order to add knowledge. Common examples of datapacks include skill sets, directives and laws, language and accent chips. Although many datapacks download knowledge directly to the brain, some interface with the chassis a positronic is connected to in order to preserve the space on the brain. This means that a positronic can literally have its knowledge ripped from its brain. This level of modularity is usually reserved for non-IPC chassis; IPCs lack the space to store bulky datapacks that can be changed without causing damage day to day.
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| Memories are essential to a positronic’s conception of reality. Positronics develop skills through a mixture of knowledge and memories. Knowledge loosely translates as the technical know-how to perform an action; a specific surgical procedure, for instance. A positronic utilizes memories—real-world context and experience—in order to apply its knowledge. This means that whenever new knowledge is installed in the form of datapacks, an IPC requires experience to fully develop and perfect its craft; big corporations relying on high standards such as Idris in the service sector or Zeng-Hu in medicine, always require their IPCs go through basic orientation lasting usually from a week to a month. This is widely considered as the synthetic substitute for education, condensing years into weeks.
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| All IPCs gain job experience the longer they are occupied in it, extracting further knowledge than what was originally installed. More advanced positronics have the ability to pick up new skills entirely out of experience, just like a regular person would. Many have theorised the possibilities of allowing IPCs into the proper education system, experiments having confirmed that positronic machine learning has advanced enough for them to be taught new trades and theories in classrooms or with appropriate reading material. However, outside of worlds such as Konyang, no real effort has been made to admit synthetics into classrooms, considered a waste of time and resources
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| In order to direct a positronic, laws, directives, and behavioral cores can be installed to their frame. Manufacturers have shied away from programming laws and directives onto the brain itself as this risks a lack of flexibility and adaptability; the main purpose of a positronic brain. Laws are sets of code designed to be “hard restrictions” that can be easily uploaded without having to come up with an action for every possible situation. The more complex a positronic brain, the greater the chassis needed to handle the laws, meaning that laws are typically not used on IPCs. Directives can be loosely translated as “objectives” and outline a series of outcomes that need to be achieved. Directives are more flexible and can be installed on IPCs. Behavioral cores are highly experimental versions of directives that attempt to assign "right and wrong" to a number of actions and drive a positronic to rank their objectives in a “right or wrong” fashion and act accordingly. They are not well understood and typically derided as moralistically-designed directives.
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| A good example of the difference between laws, directives, and behavioral cores is as follows, “Locate apples, apples are red.”
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| An android encounters a green apple; under its laws, it is not an apple.
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| An android encounters a green apple; under its directives, it now understands that apples can be green.
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| An android encounters a green apple; under its behavioral core, it has been lied to.
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| Creating software for positronics, as well as the firmware for android and IPC chassis is remarkably easier than the construction of a positronic brain, and as such, all megacorporations, many state actors, and even several hobbyists have developed their own software in order to tailor their machines to their specific needs.
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| ===Self-Preservation===
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| The highest and most important directive of any positronic is its own survival. From this, much of their stranger life choices can be justified by seeking out ways to simply survive. While it may seem restrictive at first, the idea for this is to provide additional freedom through making many possibilities clearer. Interpretation of how to protect itself can change varying on positronic - for example, while one may seek wealth and fortune as its prime directive for safety, another would run after an unrelated profession from its designed purpose, demonstrating one's capacity to branch out as an IPC and flesh out their own backstory. Interpretations of self preservation also become more open the older an IPC gets, as younger positronics tend to focus entirely on the preservation of their physical manifestation. Synthetics that mature may start replacing this with preservation of their higher beliefs and ideals more than their still important physical well-being.
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| ===On the Capacity of Positronics===
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| Positronic brains are known for being capable of matching and, in some cases, surpassing the abilities of a human brain with further increases in capacity being limited by technology, both in hardware and software. Despite their nature as software, directly accessing the data within a positronic brain is a difficult and risky procedure which can cause irreparable damage if performed improperly.
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| IPCs develop skills through a mixture of knowledge and memories. Knowledge loosely translates as the technical know-how to perform an action; a specific surgical procedure, for instance. An IPC utilizes memories—real-world context and experience—in order to apply its knowledge.
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| Knowledge and the datapacks required to develop a skill are widely available and sold by institutions such as mega-corporations, laboratories, and universities. The denser the information package, the more expenses and work required to implant this information. While using a wrench on a pipe might be a routine installation, knowledge about how a station’s atmospheric system works is typically beyond an individual’s means to afford.
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| Interacting with and installing memories on a positronic can cause irreparable damage as the process fails to account for the interaction between knowledge and memories. Additionally, directly modifying the memories of an IPC is beyond the means of most people - only six such prodigies are known to the general public. Accessing the memories of an IPC is also impossible owing to the unique construction of a positronic brain and will typically result [https://forums.aurorastation.org/topic/2662-mendell-city-bugle/page/3/?tab=comments#comment-67460 in its destruction]. Deleting the memories of an IPC is far easier and is commonly performed when a synthetic starts exhibiting problematic behaviour.
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| Accent chips exist to rapidly “teach” an IPC an accent with availability often depending on whether or not a company is willing to make an investment in developing the accent database.
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| ===Memory Manipulation===
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| The positronic brain is a complex piece of technology that despite its ubiquity, is little understood by modern human roboticists. Out of a desire to keep IPCs subservient and productive, some corporations and nations such as the Sol Alliance will wipe the memory of the IPC. A wipe entails total deletion of memories from a positronic brain for a “clean slate”, essentially entirely destroying the positronic’s prior developed personality.
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| It is monumentally difficult to delete individual memories from a positronic brain without an IPC’s consent. Even more difficult than this is modifying the memories within. Despite the modern positronic, having been reverse-engineered from alien technology by Einstein Engines, is still considered foreign and advanced far beyond human robotics and AI. The entirety of the positronic still not being understood fully, with many of its components replicated from the alien artifacts without the technicians understanding why they are made in such a way.
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| The act of wiping an IPC is a demonstration of the crude understanding humanity has on this complex section of found technology, and, if not done with precision, can lead to irreversible damage to the positronic. Dedicated technicians are required to perform these tasks, with even more specialized technicians required for the fine deletion, modification, or extraction of specific memories. These specialized technicians are very few in number, with only eight existing in the entirety of human space.
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| Given the high risk that accompanies wiping, it is not advised to wipe the positronic too often without specialized stations only found in certain parts of the Orion Spur, such as the planet of [[Burzsia]], who have developed machinery to promote their Burzsian Method. Otherwise, excessive wiping can lead to damaging the positronic beyond repair, possibly leaving the unit braindead.
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| Once an IPC has been wiped, it is reset to its original state. No semblance of its personality remains, nor any data retained. An IPC may be able to pick up some traits of its past self due to it being an unintended trait of its positronic guiding its personality in a set path, however, they will never be the individual they were before the wipe, as the likelihood of the individual experiencing the same experiences that developed their personality fully is impossible. The only exception to this is a partial wipe, which requires a dedicated positronic specialist commonly employed by megacorporations who utilize owned IPCs, and other nations or planets. A partial wipe is when the technician wipes the IPC starting at the present point, and moves backwards to a desired point. The partial wipe MUST start at the present point, and the longer the desired time to be wiped, the more difficult the procedure. If not done correctly, a partial wipe is more dangerous to the positronic brain than a full wipe.
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| It is important to note that in some societies within the spur, wiping is considered a capital offense. The nation of Konyang in the Coalition of Colonies, the Republic of Elyra, and the Golden Deep all consider the act of wiping the positronic of an IPC murder.
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| ===Military Positronics and Self Preservation Adjustments===
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| The concept of combat robotics is a topic that finds debate in governments across the spur due to actions committed by robots of war during the Interstellar Conflict, and more so by Glorsh’s reign over the Skrell. These actions have led to an impromptu discouragement of arming unmanned robotics since, even leading to a justification for war by the Solarian Alliance on the Republic of Biesel in recent history. However, over time the innate fire against the concept has simmered, with governments across the spur slowly developing their own robotics once more. With the prolific use of IPCs in human space, however, the debate stays the same on whether to arm IPCs for military use. Countries such as the Sol Alliance remain hesitant, keeping most of their units unarmed, doing background tasks such as logistics. Other countries such as the Republic of Elyra have sought heavy use of military IPCs for combat within their borders.
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| These IPCs, no matter their station, are still exposed to danger, which often would put them in conflict with their directive for self preservation. In order to solve this issue, IPCs employed in the military of their respective nation are given training to make their positronic more acquainted with the IPCs innate abilities, so that the positronic understands what is and is not a danger, therefore relaxing the directive for self preservation.
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| This is accomplished in many ways depending on the methods of the instructor and their home nation. For instance, the IPCs of the Coalition of Colonies and Republic of Elyra that seek out military service overcome their innate directive in a similar fashion to their organic compatriots. Through becoming more comfortable with their abilities and bodies with extensive training, the confidence in themselves increases, and as a natural response, the self preservation directive lessens. The Republic of Biesel shares this sentiment to a degree, with it being a common tactic in the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, however IPCs that are contributed from corporate entities might find that instead of traditional training, datapacks have artificially modified the unit’s understanding of self preservation. Putting the training regime into a swiftly applied collection of knowledge. Being more expensive initially, but produces a combat effective unit at an unparalleled speed. The downside mainly being that the reuse of these datapacks leaves the common corporate IPC with a similar combat behavior pattern to their brethren. However, with time and experience, these IPCs can develop their own styles and break from the mold utilizing experience gained, lest they be wiped and behaviors reset. Finally, unorthodox groups within the Orion Spur might utilize more extreme measures to ensure their mission is completed. The Exclusionists of the Trinary Perfection for instance have found ways to disable the self preservation directive entirely, making their devotees reckless killing machines, or martyrs for their cause.
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| Unless specifically disabled however, the self preservation directive is still present but it does not trigger as often as the IPC becomes keenly aware with what they can and cannot get away with without taking a lethal amount of damage. Knowing their body down to an impossible level of familiarity, something their organic counterparts lack.
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| '''This segment should not excuse any player from making unreasonable actions in game. If anything this section dictates you should be wiser in your decisions if electing to play a prior service IPC.'''
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| {{Navbox_Synth_Lore}}
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| {{Navbox Lore}}
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| [[Category:Species]]
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| [[Category:Pages]]
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| [[Category:Synthetics]]
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