Electronics & Misc. Tech Tree

Electronics & Misc. technologies are technologies relating to electronics (computers, AI, etc) and technologies that do not fit anywhere else in the tree.

Primitive Artificial Intelligence

 * Prerequisites: None
 * Posts: 10
 * An early form of artificial intelligence. It is not truly "self-aware", but is able to make decisions and learn to an extent. About the intelligence of an ant.

Single-Task Artificial Intelligence

 * Prerequisites: Primitive Artificial Intelligence
 * Posts: 20
 * This advancement in AI technology greatly improves the AI's intelligence, reasoning, and learning abilities, but with a caveat: it must be created with a specific task in mind. An AI created for electrical grid management would not be able to function well at waste management, for instance. It is able to perform rudimentary tasks that require some "thought" and reasoning to them.

Graphene Semiconductors

 * Prerequisites: None
 * Posts: 15
 * Graphene replaced silicon as the semiconductor of choice, enabling more compact and power efficient microprocessors.

Artificial Neural Networks

 * Prerequisites: Graphene Semiconductors
 * Posts: 25
 * The ability to create artificial neural networks that emulate organic brains. This opens the doors to extremely advanced AI.

Simple Artificial Intelligence

 * Prerequisites: Artificial Neural Networks, Single-Task Artificial Intelligence
 * Posts: 30
 * An improved form of artificial intelligence. Its learning abilities have advanced and it has achieved intelligence similar to that of a dog, and is not limited to one specific task. It still has a long way to go before achieving human-level intelligence, however.

Thinking Artificial Intelligence

 * Prerequisites: Simple Artificial Intelligence
 * Posts: 35
 * A great leap in AI technology, this new innovation is capable of acting almost human, but it is mostly a facade - it does not have true free will, nor is it able to perform complex tasks. Regardless, it's a step in the right direction.

Sapient Artificial Intelligence

 * Prerequisites: Thinking Artificial Intelligence
 * Posts: 45
 * One of the final evolutions of artificial intelligence, achieving true self-awareness and sapience. Beyond human level in many areas such as calculation and reasoning, though they lack the ability to "think outside the box" or be creative.

Electromagnetic Manipulation

 * Prerequisites: None
 * Posts: 25
 * Allows for advanced understanding and control of electromagnetic fields.

Nerve Interfacing

 * Prerequisites: None
 * Posts: 10
 * Translation of nerve signals to digital signals is now possible, enabling crude control of cybernetics or exoskeletons.

Powered Exoskeleton

 * Prerequisites: Nerve Interfacing
 * Posts: 15
 * The first forays into humanoid robotics and enhancement. Powered exoskeletons are primitive, but useful. They do not fully cover the wearer so are fairly useless as armor, but can be used in a variety of ways, from enhancing strength and endurance to letting the disabled move again.

Neural Interfacing

 * Prerequisites: Nerve Interfacing
 * Posts: 20
 * Direct interfacing with the brain and nervous system allows control by thought. Necessary for developing cybernetics which can be utilize as though they were actually a part of the host.

Neural Control

 * Prerequisites: Neural Interfacing
 * Posts: 25
 * A limited form of artificial "mind control" that works by sending signals to the subjects' brain. Essentially a reverse of neural interfacing, because rather than receiving signals, it sends them.

Cybernetic Augmentation

 * Prerequisites: Neural Interfacing, Nerve Interfacing, Powered Exoskeleton
 * Posts: 25
 * Primitive but useful cybernetic augmentations which can be directly grafted to the "host". Can range from limbs to eyes to ears. They have the potential to improve on the organic parts they replace.

Humanoid Robotic Chassis

 * Prerequisites: Powered Exoskeleton
 * Posts: 35
 * A robotic chassis with full ranges of motion and balance.

Early Power Armor

 * Prerequisites: High-Capacity Batteries (Power technology), Powered Exoskeleton, Miniaturized Batteries (Power technology)
 * Posts: 35
 * Power armor can enhance the wearer's abilities through the use of motors and hydraulics, as well as providing protection from both the elements and enemy fire.

Photon Bending

 * Prerequisites: None
 * Posts: 20
 * Allows for the bending of photons around an object, effectively making it nearly invisible. Extremely power hungry and not at all practical, but it opens doors to things once thought the realm of science fiction, such as cloaking devices.

Energy Dampening

 * Prerequisites: Photon Bending
 * Posts: 25
 * Allows energy signatures to be made almost undetectable to modern sensor equipment, barring a very intensive sweep. Combined with Photon Bending technology, it could be used to create a cloaking device.

Cloaking Device

 * Prerequisites: Energy Dampening, Photon Bending
 * Posts: 35
 * Capable of rendering ships almost invisible to modern sensors. Cloaking devices mask energy signatures, heat signatures, and bend photons around the ship so that it isn't visible to the naked eye or to systems like RADAR. Extremely power hungry, however, and shields cannot be active while cloaked - nor can weapons be fired.

Pinpoint Targetting Calculations

 * Prerequisites: Graphene Semiconductors
 * Posts: 20
 * Advancements in computer technology enable more intensive calculations to be made in short order by a ship's targetting computers. This improves weapon accuracy and tracking.