Nano Technology - an idea

[teinedraig]

Hi all,

As well as working on my ship weapons I have been playing around with an idea to introduce nanotech into the game. I am in the process of coming up with a design system based on a series of parameters and 'templates' (tempaltes being what the nanites can actually do).

I have come up with the following so far in the way of design options(no costing etc yet)

Material - Synthetic or Bio
Scale - Nano or Pico
Control - Simple, Complex, Interlinked, Tree, AI, Sentience
Dispersion - Injection/Ingestion,Gel [cannister, tube], Mist [explosion, spray],Self Distrbuted
Activation/Deactivation - Contact, Code, Decision, Sentient
Life Span - Single Use, Multiple Use - Day, Multiple Use - Month, Multiple Use - Year, Self Replicating, Self Modifying

Templates Cover :
Surgery These nanites are introduced to perform a specific task
Physical Mod These nanites are often 'one shot' uses bought for a specific purpose
Construc/Repair Used extensively to build or repair items they are often used by the military to effect field repairs
Destruction Used to both move away unwanted buildings and scrap / refuse these nanites also see use as a weapon against military targets - these nanites can either stack what they have dismantled by base element or dispered the base elements ir they got where they drop
Regrowth These are insitu nanites used to effect life saving reapirs on a person. They will scavange of any nearby material (1 metre max) if there is insufficent resources in the body or being supplied
DNA Manip Used mainly in surgery to repair in womb defects these nanites, at higher levels, can effect signifcant repairs/changes to the DNA of a living being
Atomic Level Manipulation
Sub Atmoic Level Manipulation
Skills Sentient only
Computer Nanites can act as a computer with interface

Any thoughts on what else could be included. I have still am working on the atomic and sub atomic bits (so thoughts very much appreciated). I have set the intro TL to about present day for crude, one use nanites and go from there.

Some general factors I am using are :

A body can hold only 1 vol of nanites per hundred vol of body

Every 3 TL above introduction reduces time by 25% (max 75%)
Every 2 TL above introduction reduces vol by 10% (max 70%)
Every TL above introduction reduces cost by 5% (max 60%)

Once I get some costing etc done I will get some more info up and eventaully a spreadsheet.

 

[flykiller]

small manipulations are good, but moving large quantities of materials in construction or demolition is asking a lot of nanites.

I have nanites in my campaign too, but they're only for medical use, small-scale work, or finishing work. they can also work on slightly larger things, but then it's a case of apply them and come back three weeks later.

 

[teinedraig]

I agree - I visulised the repair / maintenance as being on small items such as computers, weapon components etc. Also, they work in conjunction with robots/people for larger construction. When used in a military sense they are delivered to a surface which they then dissolve or infiltrate.

For larger scale destruction you simply apply a large quantity to the area (with a limited life span) and let them go, also had an image of disassembler vats (stuff is dropped in etc).

Mind you, with disintegrator tech at higher levels youy may not both with this at all

 

[mike wightman]

As others have mentioned before, I think nanotechnology is going on in the background of a lot of Traveller technology, especially in the electronics/computer area, medical technology and, to a limited extent, in manufacturing.

I also believe the dividing line between nanotechnology and biotechnology is almost non-existent.

You've done a good job of cataloguing the various types and applications, thanks for posting it

 

[tjoneslo]

As a suggestion you should also include another modifier "wet" and "dry".

"Wet" nanotech requires a very specific enviornment to work correctly, like a vacuum chamber in a industrial clean room, with a specific UV lamp setup to power the little beasties. Bascially, the nanotech requires very strictly controled conditions to work properly (or at all).

"Dry" nanotech can work in the real worlds, let loose anywhere, and able to handle itself in a wide variety of conditions.

Obviously, there can be a range between these two extremes. Most of the cool nanotech toys written up in game books is of the dry variety. I believe that Traveller does have nano-tech, but it is all of the wet variety, and hence not very interesting to the average adventurer.

 

[Psion]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
As others have mentioned before, I think nanotechnology is going on in the background of a lot of Traveller technology, especially in the electronics/computer area, medical technology and, to a limited extent, in manufacturing.

Also, autodocs.

I sort of think that given the limited levels of computer tech in traveller (e.g., TL 12 for self aware robots, TL 16 for true AI, IIRC), self aware nanites would be ancients level tech, TL 20 or so.

Likewise, subatomic manipulation seems like it would be ancients level tech.

I sort of think of nano-machines as useful tools that might need to be explicitly programmed, and not near the level of versatility (or threat) attributed to them in some SF. That said, if you have them beginning to be versatile around TLs 14-16, that would put it in the range to play with as a plot device, but keep it fairly uncommon.

If you want an interesting take on nanites and an ancient style race (though not near as old) that destroyed itself, you might want to pick up a copy of Centauri Knights d20 for some ideas.

 

[teinedraig]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the input. I will include the wet/dry concept into the design process.

I also agree that on the whole nanites are useful tools designed for a specific purpose. Reprogrammable ones may be an option at higher TL's as well.

I am thinking about creating a stable pocket empire that is run by AI's and uses nanite tech. Along the lines of Neal Ashers books "Gridlinked" and "Line of Polity". Not sure where to put them yet but I want to play at the high tech end 15-17.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas - I wll post more as I get time to develop it.

 

[teinedraig]

Just had a first cut at nanites and came up with :

TL 15 Synthetic Nano [Wet] - Simple Controls, Injection/Ingestion application, activates on contact - Single Use - template : Surgery - Simple 4,520.00 Cr 0.01200 vol

This nanite can have only 1 template.

Any thoughts on cost and volume?? - volume is the amount required to be injected to perform the task effectively.

Base TL is 9, so a TL 15 nanite is quite advanced and this is one of the simplest types. The most advanced type for TL 15 would be :

TL 15 Synthetic Nano [Wet] Tree Controls (nanites create a logic tree structure) Mist application, activates when receives a Code - Multiple Use - Year NO TEMPLATES GIVEN 15,080.00 Cr 0.04100 Vol
Can have 3 inherent templates and up to 12 (but cost goes way up and volumes also increases with number of templates above 3 (number of templates is a factor of the controls.

Any thoughts, suggestions??