Electronics

Commlink

Commlinks are the universal Matrix access device, used by everyone to be online all-the time, control all of their electronics, access their ID and accounts, and enhance their experiences with augmented and virtual reality.

A range of stock commlinks and operating systems are provided; Though variations exist according to different models, the standard commlink contains most of the following features: music player, micro-trid/holo projector/“touch-screen” display, camcorder, microphone, image/text scanner, RFID tag reader, GPS (global positioning system, triangulated from registered local wireless nodes), roll-up Velcro-fastening keyboard, chip player, credstick reader, retractable earbuds, voice-access controls, and a shock and water-resistant case.

Sim Module: The sim module is an ASIST interface that controls the simsense experience. It translates computer signals (simsense data) into neural signals, allowing the user to directly experience simsense programs and virtual reality. A sim module must be accessed via trodes or a direct neural interface (datajack, implanted commlink, etc).

Standard (legal) sim modules only interpret cold sim . It is possible to modify a sim module to allow the user to experience hot sim) and BTLs with a Hardware + Logic (10, 1 hour) Extended Test, but this also makes the user more vulnerable to Black IC programs. As a safety precaution, sim mods override your motor functions while you are fully immersed in VR/simsense, so that you don’t blindly thrash around in the real world and potentially injure yourself or break things. This means that your physical body is limp while you’re online, as if you were

sleeping. This reticular activation system (RAS) override can also be disabled with a Hardware + Logic (5, 1 hour) Extended Test, at the user’s own risk.

Accessories

Typically used with commlinks, these accessories are compatible with any electronic device. All are wireless equipped.

AR Gloves: Available in all sizes and shapes, these gloves allow the user to manually interact with the Matrix, by manipulating virtual arrows, accessing a virtual keyboard or display, or remotely controlling a device. They are also equipped with force feedback, allowing for a limited tactile augmented reality experience. These gloves are also able to provide basic information regarding touched or held items, such as weight, temperature, and hardness.

Biometric Reader: For access-control to online accounts or certain devices, the proper biometric scan must be provided. A different reader is required for each type of biometric data.

Nanopaste Trodes: This highly-sensitive high-tech nanite paste can be used to “paint” an electrode net around the head. Popular with the club-going set, nanopaste is often artistically applied in a variety of colors and designs.

Printer: Disposable full-color printers come attached to the paper container.

Satellite Link: This allows the user to uplink to communication satellites in low-Earth orbit, connecting to the Matrix from places where no local wireless networks exist. This link has a Signal rating of 8. Includes a portable satellite dish.

Simrig: An advanced version of the trode net, the simrig records simsense experience data (both physical and emotive) from the wearer. Simrigs incorporate a sim module.

Skinlink: With skinlink, a device is adapted to send and receive data transmitted through the electrical field on the surface of metahuman skin. Though limited to touch, skinlink communication has the advantage of being protected from signal interception or jamming.

Subvocal Microphone: Attached with adhesive to the center of the throat, this hard-to-spot microphone allows the user to communicate via subvocalized speech. A –4 dice pool modifier is applied to audio Perception Tests to overhear what she is saying.

Trodes: This net/headband of electrodes and ultrasound emitters enables the wearer to experience simsense and are used with a sim module. Trodes are often concealed under headbands, hats, or wigs.

Misc. Electronics

All these items are wireless-equipped.

Electronic Paper: This electronic sheet is roughly the size of a piece of paper and can be folded to fit into a pocket. It digitally displays any input data and can act as a customizable touchscreen controller.

Holo Projector: This device projects a trideo hologram into any open space within 5 meters. Though holos can be quite realistic, a Perception + Intuition (2) Test is usually sufficient to distinguish a hologram from a real object or person.

RFID Tags

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags form an integral part of every product that leaves the production line. Ranging in size from microscopic to the size of a price tag, tags have a stick-to-anything adhesive backing and can sometimes be difficult to spot. Tags are programmed to transmit small amounts of data: serial numbers, product specs, and pricing (for distribution and retail); arrows and advertisements (for geo-tagging locations and objects, leaving a virtual AR message for anyone who comes by); ID (for employee tracking and access control); owner contact information (in case an item is stolen); vehicle registration; etc. Tags can be used as tracking devices, periodically transmitting to local scanners or to the wireless Matrix (along with the local access point’s GPS

data), though their limited range makes them useless in dead zones. RFID Tag data is often fixed, but in some cases is reprogrammable. Tags are readable by anyone with a commlink. They have a Signal rating of 1. The physical location of a tag can be found with a radio signal scanner.Tag data can be erased with a tag eraser or programmed with an Edit program (which is what runners do to create fake tags). Fixed tag data can only be altered if the tag is physically accessed, requiring a Hardware + Logic (5, 1 minute) Extended Test. Data on a tag may be encrypted.

Security Tags: Security-conscious megacorps often implant security tags in their salarymen and valued citizens (usually in the hand or arm). These tags are used to monitor employees’ workplace activities, grant clearance to authorized devices and areas (and alert security when detected in unauthorized areas), and provide a means of tracking in case of abduction. These same tags are also used on criminals, both in the joint and when released on parole/monitoring conditions. Parents and schools also use them to track students. Security tags are hardened so that they cannot be erased with a tag eraser. Tags can be easily implanted under the skin at no Essence Cost. Removing them requires a First Aid + Logic (8, 1 minute) Extended Test. Many security systems will trigger an alert if a security tag in their bounds is deactivated.

Sensor Tags: These tags are equipped with a sensor and are programmed to monitor a certain object/person/environment and respond to certain conditions. Sensor tags are used for diagnostic purposes in various devices, vehicle components, and cyberware, as well as to monitor temperature in food shipments, and many similar purposes.

Stealth Tags: Stealth tags are encoded to remain silent and only respond to transmissions with the proper passcodes. They cannot be located with a commlink or bug scanner (unless the codes are known). They typically use special frequencies and other tricks to avoid detection. These tags are also disguised so as not to look like RFID tags (an additional –2 Concealability). Stealth tags are often used as a backup for security tags, and may be implanted in the same way.

Communications and Countermeasures

Headjammer: The headjammer is used by security personnel to prevent the use of headware commlinks and communication systems. When the headjammer is attached to a person’s head and activated, it works in the same way as a jammer (see below), but its effects are limited to that person’s head.

Jammer: This device floods the airwaves with electromagnetic jamming signals to block out wireless and radio communication. The jammer automatically jams any device with a Signal rating lower than its Device rating. The area jammer affects a spherical area—its rating is reduced by 1 for every 5 meters from the center (similar to the blast rules for grenades). The directional jammer affects a conical area with a 30-degree spread—its rating is reduced by 1 for every 20 meters from the center. Walls and other obstacles may prevent the jamming signal from spreading or reduce its effect (gamemaster’s discretion).

Micro-Transceiver: This classic short-range communication device is perfect for discreet operations. The micro-transceiver consists of an earbud and adhesive subvocal microphone. The transceiver’s Signal rating is equal to its Device rating.

Tag Eraser: This handheld device creates a strong electromagnetic field that burns out RFID tags. The eraser must be brought within 1 centimeter of the target, but will automatically burn any non-hardened tag out, no test required. The eraser’s electromagnetic field is also capable of erasing/scrambling other non-optical electronic circuit systems at the gamemaster’s discretion. The eraser cannot burn out security RFID chips.

White Noise Generator: This devices creates a field of random noise, masking the sounds within its area. All Perception Tests to overhear a conversation within 10 meters of a white noise generator receive a negative dice pool modifier equal to the generator’s rating. If more than one generator is in use, only count the highest rating.

Vision Enhancers

From hip sunglasses to protective goggles to chic monocles, basic vision enhancers come in several common forms. Binoculars are handheld, with built-in vision magnification; contact lenses are worn directly on the eyes; goggles are relatively large and robust devices that cover the eyes and are strapped to the head; glasses are lightweight frames worn on the bridge of the nose; monocles are worn on a headband with a flip-down arm, or on a chain; and imaging scopes are sometimes mounted on weapons. All such devices have wireless capability, though they may also be directly wired via fiberoptic cable (except contacts).

Flare Compensation: This protects the user from blinding flashes of light as well as simple glare. Flare compensation also protects users with thermographic vision from heat flashes and glare from infrared lighting. It eliminates the vision modifiers for glare.

Image Link: The image link either displays visual information (text, pictures, movies) in the field of vision or projects it onto the user’s retina with a laser. Visual data is typically AR data received by the user’s PAN, but other input is also accepted.

Low-Light Vision: This accessory allows the user to see normally in light levels as low as starlight. Total darkness still renders the user as blind as an unmodified person.

Smartlink: This accessory interacts with a smartgun system (p. 311) to project the weapon’s angle of fire into the user’s vision, centering red crosshairs where the user is pointing and highlighting perceived targets. The smartgun’slaser rangefinder also calculates and displays the distance to the target. Additional data from the weapon, such as the ammunition level, heat buildup, and stress can also be displayed. Requires an image link.

Thermographic Vision: This enhancement enables vision in the infrared portion of the spectrum, enabling the user to see heat patterns. Thermographic vision is a very practical way to spot living beings in areas of total darkness (even though it’s difficult to fully determine their type and appearance), to check if a motor or machine has been running lately, and to track heat footprints.

Ultrasound: The ultrasound accessory consists of an emitter that sends out continuous ultrasonic pulses and a receiver that picks up the echoes of these pulses to create a topographic ultrasound “map” that is laid over (or replaces) the user’s normal visual sensory input. While ultrasound vision is perfect to “see” textures, calculate exact distances, and pick up things otherwise invisible to the naked eye (like people cloaked by an Invisibility spell), it is less adept at other tasks like perceiving colors and brightness. It cannot penetrate materials like glass that would be transparent to optical sensors.

The ultrasound sensor can be set to a passive mode, in which it does not emit ultrasonic pulses but still picks up ultrasound from outside sources (such as motion sensors or someone else’s ultrasound sensors on active mode)

Vision Enhancement: Vision enhancement gives the character sharper vision. It adds its rating as a positive dice pool modifier to the user’s visual Perception Tests.

Vision Magnification: This zoom function magnifies vision by up to 50 times, allowing distant targets to be seen clearly. It is available as both an optical (ideal for spellcasting at distant targets) or electronic (with real-time image correction) enhancement. For rules on using vision magnification in ranged combat.

Optical Devices

Endoscope: This is a 1-meter fiberoptic cable, of which the first 20 centimeters are made up of myomeric rope and an optical lens on each side. Allows the user to look around corners, through door slits, or into narrow spaces.

Periscope: An L-shaped tube with two mirrors, the periscope allows the user to look (or shoot) around corners.

Audio Enhancements

Audio enhancements are commonly available as earbuds or headphones. Each will play audio input from AR or other sources.

Audio Enhancement: Audio enhancement allows the user to receive a broader spectrum of audio frequencies (including those outside the user’s normal audible spectrum, like high and low frequencies) while experiencing finer discrimination of nuances and blocking out distracting background noise. Audio enhancement adds its Rating as a positive modifier to the user’s Listening Perception Tests.

Select Sound Filter: This filter allows the user to block out background noise and focus on specific sounds or patterns of sounds (including sound, word, or speech pattern recognition). Each rating point allows the user to select a single sound group (such as a conversation or the breathing of a guard dog) and focus on it. The user can only activelylisten to one group at a time, but she may choose to record the others for later playback or set them to triggered monitoring (such as sounding an alert if there is a variation in the breathing pattern of the dog, or if the conversation brings up a certain topic).

Spatial Recognizer: This accessory pinpoints the direction from which a sound is coming. The user receives a bonus of +2 dice pool modifier on all Perception Tests to find the source of a specific sound.

Sensors

Thanks to ubiquitous computing and the propagation of wireless technology, sensors are found almost everywhere. Cheaply-produced by the billions, miniaturization and integration with other systems have made them often difficult

to spot. Sensor packages combine several types of sensor into one unit. RFID Sensor tags and microsensors are the size of a coin or smaller and are often disguised as other items; handheld sensors are easily carried in the palm; Mounted sensors are lunchbox-sized; drone and vehicle sensors are self-explanatory. Each package has a sensor range that indicates the limits of the sensor’s reach, though some specific sensors have their own maximum ranges.

Each package has a Capacity rating; the total Capacity rating of the individual sensors may not exceed the package’s Capacity rating. If more than one sensor in a package applies to a Sensor Test, use only the highest rating.

Atmosphere Sensor: Weather forecasts are notoriously untrustworthy (thanks to pollution, the Awakening, and other factors), but atmospheric sensors can keep you from getting caught in the rain.

Camera: The most common sensor, cameras can capture still photos, video, or trideo (including sound). Cameras may also be upgraded with vision enhancements.

Cyberware Scanner: This millimeter-wave scanner is primarily intended to detect cyber-implants, but can be used to identify other contraband as well. Maximum range 15 meters.

Directional Microphone: Allows the user to listen in on distant conversations. Solid objects as well as loud sounds outside the line of eavesdropping block the reception. Maximum range is 100 meters.

Geiger Counter: This sensor picks up the amount of radioactivity surrounding it.

Laser Microphone: This sensor bounces a laser beam against a solid object like a windowpane, reads the vibrational variations of the surface, and translates them into thesounds that are occurring on the other side of the surface. Use Perception + Device rating for the listener’s Perception Test. Maximum range is 100 meters.

Laser Range Finder: This simple sensor emits a laser beam that is reflected off a target’s surface and picked up by a detector to calculate the exact distance.

MAD Scanner: The MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detection) scanner is used to detect weapons and concentrations of metal. It has a maximum range of 5 meters.

Microphone: A standard omnidirectional audio pick-up that can be upgraded with audio enhancements.

Motion Sensor: This sensor uses ultrasound to detect drastic changes in the ambient temperature caused by movement.

Olfactory Scanner: The olfactory sensor picks up and analyzes the molecules in the air. It works in the same way as the olfactory booster.

Radio Signal Scanner: The radio signal scanner locates and locks in on radio traffic from RFID tags, wireless networks, and other transmitters, and is especially useful at capturing signals originating from nearby. The scanner can also measure a signal’s strength and pinpoint its location. Treat the scanner as if it were a Sniffer program equal to its rating.