Additional LBB8 Robot Components

[Golan2072]

X-Ray Scanner (TL8): Requires 3KW/H of power, weights 2kg, takes 2 liters and costs Cr2,000. Your basic medical short-range X-Ray imaging system, miniaturised enough by TL8 to fit into a small robot.

Ultrasound Scanner (TL8): Requires 2KW/H of power, weights 1.5kg, takes 1.5 liters and costs Cr1,500. A short (touch?) range ultrasound scanner usually found in medical robots; miniaturised enough by TL8 to fit even into a small robot.

Solar Panel Power Plants (Adapted from MT):
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">TL KW L Kg Cr
9 12 100 140 5,000
10 27 100 120 4,000
11 45 100 100 3,000
12+ 81 100 80 2,000</pre>[/QUOTE]TL=Tech Level; KW=Kilowatt/Hour provided; L=Volume in liters; Kg=Weight in kilograms;Cr=Price in credits. Consider it a long-duration power plant for large robots; if someone could devise a smaller-scale version (10 liters, mayhap?) it'll be nice (remember that it probably won't scale lineraly).

Also, what do you think would be the stats (Kg, L, Kw, Cr) for orbital range (100,000 Km) and interplanetary range (a few light minutes?) radios will be?

I'll be posting a "Mr. Robot Goes to Space" one or two page long article on the next Stellar Reaches including a few sattelites and probes.

 

[Flynn]

2406-1,

I would happily consider such an article for a future issue of Stellar Reaches. When you have it ready, please send it to me for review.

Thanks,
Flynn

 

[Golan2072]

So, any idea yet about the stats for orbital/interplanetary radios?

And, can a Grav module work as an interplanetary (or, for the very least, orbital) drive of sorts and replace the lower TL Zero-G manuvering package?

 

[Piper]

Originally posted by Employee 2-4601:
So, any idea yet about the stats for orbital/interplanetary radios?

The MT radio table has radio size varying with Tech level. Unfortunately, they don't match up with book 8 very well. If you want to stay with Book 8 radios, I would double weight, power and cost for each range band so a 50,000km radio would weigh 10 kilos, require 4 power units and cost10,000Cr.
Possibly a better choice would be using the MT radios from the Ref manual or using Striker radios by extending the table beyond the 5000km range.

And, can a Grav module work as an interplanetary (or, for the very least, orbital) drive of sorts and replace the lower TL Zero-G manuvering package?

The MT vehicle design sequence says yes: "Space-faring craft use grav modules or thruster technology for locomotion."
Grav modules are in use before the TL11 thruster plate becomes available.
Also consider that the Zhodani warbot has no Zero-G package yet is used in AHL without special movement restrictions (other than the inability to use ladders)

If you elect to go this route, I would consider requiring the robot to have Ship's Boat skill to maneuver effectively in space. Also, you may want to recalculate thrust for zero-G/microgravity conditions.

 

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by Piper:
Also, you may want to recalculate thrust for zero-G/microgravity conditions.

And how should I do that?

 

[Piper]

Book 8, Robot Construction, Grav Locomotion (page 25 in my edition):
"Gs of acceleration equal thrust in kilograms divided by weight in kilograms. One G is needed to keep the robot in the air".
In zero-G, that extra G can be used for propulsion.

In space combat scale, robots would have at least 1G of thrust and move like ships. You might decide that a robot without Ship's Boat skill could only use a fraction of this.

In Striker, you can use the grav vehicle design sequence and calculate the movement from the speed table. You might want to use the Avionics table to limit speed or consider installing avionics in a hi-speed robot.

One G is a lot of movement in personal combat scale. Given the short ranges, it's unlikely that they would be able to use that thrust very often. You can either ignore it or allow high speed spurts if the space and situation allow.

Alternatively, you can rule that robots will automatically compensate for zero-G and throttle back, leaving the basic movement rules unchanged.
You could even rule that robots not specifically designed for zero-G become confused and unable to move at all.