High-end tech in Dok

From doktorsleepless

High-end tech in Dok

Posted by Andrew on June 24, 2008 at 4:52pm Aside from the Angel, what's the most high-tech piece of technology we've seen in Doktor Sleepless so far? The items that stand out to me are:

1. St. Theresa's Eyes. I vaguely recall a WIRED article a few years back talking about how close we were to having readily available, affordable lab equipment that would allow people to cook up bio-terrorism weapons at home. If STE is a homebrewed bug, then that's tech that's at least ten~twenty years ahead of what we have now.

2. Grinders. On the surface, Grinders look pretty high-end, but what have we seen, aside from Dok, Grinders do? I think the impressive thing about Grinders isn't so much their cybernetics, but the leap they represent to home medicine. Screwing plates to bones, embedding chips in arms, etc. are fairly common procedures these days. However, even embedding an RFID chip is something you usually leave to a doctor. Unless I've missed some scene showing super-augmented Grinders, then I'd their they likely represent a ten~fifteen gap between where we are now.

3. The fabricator from issue #7. It's certainly impressive, but since we neither know how much it costs nor have we seen it print anything more impressive than masks with embedded circuitry, I'd have to say that's maybe five~ten years ahead of us.

4. Clatter. I'd say Clatter is five~ten years ahead of us, but only because they're using contacts. If Clatter existed as a visor-based technology, before Dok went on walkabout, then it's not something that couldn't exist today.

5. The bunker. The bunker (from issue #6?) is impressive, but only if it's been updated. Installations like that have been around since the sixties, as I recall, which seems to follow with the history Dok gave.

I ask this, because if that's all everyday tech, or at least (in the case of the fabricator) common enough that someone with Dok's money could buy one, what's considered high-end, maybe military grade. I've read theories that the angel might be Cthulu-based, but given where everyday technology stands in Heavenside, the angel might just be the lovechild of an UAV and Asimo.

Reply by Mike Hills on June 25, 2008 at 2:14pm

on 4. - Clatter - So far we haven't seen anything that isn't already available in the current gen. of smartphones. All that's missing is the contact lens HUD. which i SO WANT NOW, but as we've shown on Grinding, is still a while away :(

But apart from that, we're still able to send pics instantly across the world, etc.. everything the Dok talks about doing that was so unimaginable even decades ago

Reply by Andrew on June 25, 2008 at 2:35pm

I don't think the HUD's are so much missing as they're just not street-tech yet. Also, speaking as someone with a rods, wires, and bolts keeping my spine erect, I'd say the same thing about Grinding. It's here, it's just not quite DIY.

Return to Secret Speculation IV.