The Mark 1 android body for the humanoid design was developed by Solas Tempus's research arm (Gold Team) in conjunction with Excalibur Incorporated, the United Federation of Planets, and the Romulan Star Empire. The design was based off of a number of elements but one of the most prominent was a design offered by Nuria Quinn who volunteered to have her android body examined back in 2382 not long after it was constructed for her. Taking that design and the design of the twin androids of Data and Lore for which the Federation had ample data as well as notes from Captain Bruce Maddox who studied the android Data intensely a body prototype was developed in 2384. The prototype was held classified during its extended development, finally it became the Mark 1 after extensive testing was performed with the help of Nuria Quinn and Bruce Maddox. Nuria performed the final testing of the prototype and of the final design herself. As of December 2385 the Serenity Concord made the design available to any AI within the Concord who wished to use it.
The anatomy of the android body is designed to fit with wishes of the AI or the creator, though in most cases the body is not created without an AI program ready to assume control of that body. In which case the AI can decide gender, race, skin tone, eye color, hair color, and other attributes at the time of construction. The body typically weighs 1.5 to 3 times that of a normal humanoid.
Physical Characteristics
The android body can accept most normal humanoid configurations of appearance. There is some variation in power system, strength, speed, and flight characteristics based on the different configurations. The standard (average) configuration is 127 kg, about 1.5 times a normal human weight for a given height. All male, female, and neuter anatomy choices are available depending on the needs / desires of the AI matrix which owns the body.
Brain Design
The central part of the Mark 1 is in the brain. The central controlling computer for the body in the case of a Soogn-Type android such as Data and Lore is the Positronic Brain but that brain suffers some serious difficulties in reproducing. The primary breakthrough which allowed the Mark 1 brain to carry an AI entity is the Encapsulated Computer Core developed by Solas Tempus. This core offers a way to have massive processing power attached to a small enough form factor to contain an AI without using the positronic design.
Unified Interface
Using designs provided by the AI Leo as well as information provided by Mike-037 coupled with examining the design used in the body of Nuria Quinn the research team was able to develop a unified core interface. This interface allows a number of different computer cores to be used as the main brain processor. The rest of the brain provides additional processing, data storage, and interfaces for the onboard systems. This modular design allows for nearly any AI core to be used with the Mark 1 body.
Multinodal Core
A specialized version of the AI Core exists which allows transmission of the AI program between different computer systems. The AI must have an appropriate core on each computer system to perform this action. The body itself is coded to the AI core preventing an extraction of the core and unauthorized usage. When using this kind of core the AI is able to move between systems with relative ease as long as a subspace link of sufficient bandwidth is available.
Skeletal Construction
The internal body frame is made from a titanium alloy covering tritanium cores used as the supporting skeletal structure. Each of these "bones". Joints are constructed likewise for maximum durability made of a specialized tritanium alloy. The skeletal structure is designed to handle the harshest conditions which the android may experience. Inside the tritanium cores of the skeleton are conduits to carry power throughout the body.
Structural Integrity Field
The structural integrity field (SIF) runs throughout the skeletal system drawing power from the conduits running through the cores of the skeleton. This energy field is designed to distribute or redirect pressures made on the body to ensure it retains its integrity. The field itself requires little power during normal operations but automatically adjusts to provide additional support when needed as forces change.
Inertial Dampening Field
Coupled with the SIF is the inertial dampening field (IDF) the two systems work together to provide additional support to the body's internal structure. The IDF is not powerful enough to cancel out inertial stresses but provides a kind of buffer, designed to be used in the cases with the forces change very rapidly allowing the SIF more time to respond and calibrate to the current situation.
Power Source
The primary power source of the android body is a hydrogen-fusion reactor, this reactor uses supercooled deuterium slush as its fuel source. The system does accept fuel sources such as hydrogen. The core and fuel storage take up most of the core body structure. A secondary power source of two Spatial Variance Reactors one above the fusion reactor and one inside the head. These reactors can provide enough power for the body itself to operate for an extended period of time but given the nature of these reactors power output when not in motion, they provide supplemental power unless the main reactor is damaged, out of fuel, or otherwise inoperative.
Fuel Supply
Since the fusion reactor can accept hydrogen for fuel it is easy enough to use electrolysis to extract hydrogen out of water. The system is also capable of processing hydrocarbons to extract the hydrogen, though the processes is more intensive than electrolysis. In either case the body can also be refueled by conventional means, the primary fuel port is in the small of the back, a secondary port is where the human belly button would normally be.
Emergency Power
A reserve set of power packs are present as well, these power packs are located near the reactor in the main body and are continuously kept charged. These packs last for a maximum of 8 hours and provide a last line of defense against full power loss.
External Power
The body can also be powered through an external source, the connection port being just above the primary fuel port. Power supplied in this way will automatically be used to charge the bodies emergency power reserve unless overridden.
Skin
The unit has an internal layer to help provide integrity between the skeleton and internal systems. This internal layer is a crystalline-gel composite to provide flexibility and integrity. The composite can be affected by electromagnetic fields to form crystal lattices at the will of the brain / AI. The system manages this automatically to help deal with a number of internal issues, including pressure equalization, heat dispersion, and protection from damage.
While the body does not strictly need an outer skin, several different organic-like skins are available to provide the desired texture and color. The outer skin itself is also outfit with additional sensors to provide precise sensation information to the AI core, these sensors can also be adjusted though most are outfit to align with the capabilities of organic life forms.
Repair, Refueling, and Storage
During the initial development the body was designed to be fully autonomous and still is capable of that. Expanded use in the Concord highlighted the need for an at-home system to refueling, repair, and storage. Particularly the use of this body for the Master Systems AI as well as civilian use by AI's not wishing to be confined strictly to the body. With the advent of the Multinodal Core there was a need for a compact, safe, and restorative device. Research is ongoing for providing self-healing functions in the next model. The current solution is the Mark 1 Robotic Storage and Repair Chamber which provides secure storage, fueling, diagnostics, and repair capabilities from the home.
The main diagnostic interface port is at the base of the neck, hidden under the artificial skin. Auxiliary connectionless interface ports exist at the temples and the sternum.
Capabilities
As with any design there are a number of variants, given the modular nature of the AI core an android can have their body replaced or upgraded easily.
- High Strength / Endurance
- Similar to those provided by the Enhanced Strength cybernetic implant.
- Precision Dexterity / Reflexes
- Similar to those provided by the Enhanced Dexterity cybernetic implant.
- Standard Sensor Pallets
- The eyes contain the same sensor capabilities as the Multi-Optic Eye cybernetic implant.
- Universal Language Translator (same as cybernetic implant)
- Universal Transceiver (same as cybernetic implant)
- Headjack (same as the cybernetic implant)
The body will overall use a Nanite Factory similar to the cybernetic implant which is designed specifically to repair and maintain the body.
Military Configuration
Some android bodies have been constructed for military or paramilitary uses and thus have expanded capabilities.
- Enhanced Sensor Pallets & Image Modeling
- More advanced sensors and processors are added to allow for high speed 3D modeling of sensor data in faster-than-real time.
- Palm Energy Weapons (Phaser, Disruptor, or similar)