Robots and Synthetics

For the longest time, the idea of a false-human, a Synthetic, has been one of the many staples holding science fiction together. Whether it be a small hovering robot with specializations in medicine or engineering, or fully-humanlike near-perfect replicas in other examples, or genetically creating the perfect human being through extreme methods.

History

Conceptualizing the Robot

Robots of simplified type have been around for the longer part of a century. Working on long factory lines doing a repetitive task with unfathomable precision and efficiency. Utility robots that haul around cargo or welder arms to weld joints vigorously. Humanlike 'drones’ or ‘robots’ were partially researched into at first, although these were largely irrelevant as their jobs were done out by other robots with a specialization.

In the Late 2080s, with a rapid increase of space travel and research, this changed. Many companies required a utility robot being capable of being outfitted for a wide variety of purposes, being mobile in existing environments and with a large efficiency. With the industries settled into their existing stationary and small-scale robots this was a rather dramatic change.

The Rutherford District-- Having been the rapidly expanding Scarpelli Colony that had been catapulted into a research hub after becoming AXIOM’s primary Mars HQ-- had been a pioneer in the robotic field. Several small-scale companies worked with a wave of AXIOM-funding and graduate students behind them to create early models of what would become an almost system-wide robot standard.

The AXRU

In 2089 an up-and-coming engineering company in Rutherford created the base robot simply called ‘Bob’. Bob carried many of the design features that still show up today in robots, notably the sensory antenna, flat head, and skeletal appearance. Bob had been built with modularity and capability in mind; ‘his’ arms were built like regular hands, with a modular attachment node for tools above their wrist. They’re built with the option to mount a standardized backpack. AXIOM had created a micro-fusion reactor allowing for almost infinite runtimes and, the most impressive of all, a micro-AI chip used to give the robot rather decent interactions with humans and the ability to determine the best course of action for given orders.

Bob and his design team were merged into AXIOM to work in the Engineering department to further develop. And in late 2090 the ‘AXRU’’ unit was opened to sales. To which it was met with large orders and massive demand…

Although the massive orders from a wide variety of companies for a whole plethora of uses, its most popular buyer was the UN. Who brought thousands of the units for ships where they were deployed to help service with the crew. Their human form meant they could access the same places that were accessible by crew, they could head into space with the assistance of a jetpack and had no problem interpreting vague orders from a coffee-withdrawn crew.

The robot became mainstream, being a common sight in large cities as they hauled boxes in teams or receiving orders from a controller. The design was so successful that it was barely built upon in the next decade, the minor improvements conjured up were almost never transferred over to existing models. Variants built in 2099 are STILL used by the UN and other companies aboard cutting-edge vessels for important tasks to this day.

Late Robots and Early Synthetics

An AX-2099 unit working upon an alien wing aboard the HCR-146 ‘Emissary’, Circa 2113.

Come the late 2090s, the design began to show its age. Although completely capable of doing its job advents in AI technology called for improvements. Micro-AI at this point was still lacking, although deck-spanning AI cores were able to put on convincing human acts inside their own, specially made units, the 2099s were still limited to their aging AI design. Instead of trying to improve on existing models the team at AXIOM’s engineering department decided to try something new.

Recent advances in prosthetic limbs allowed them to create an extremely lightweight chassis using silicon framing to create a realistic base body. An experimental form of synthetically made skin was used on the Synthetics face and upper Torso. Synthetically made hair was also used. In the end they had a Synthetic human whose face was almost indifferent from humans. Their lightweight and malleable chassis allowed quick and cheap repairs with infinite ability to mount internal tooling. The Synthetic could also use other devices like suits, an ability the older units lacked. The larger torso and limbs allowed for a more expansive micro-AI chip, giving the unit a boost in intelligence and human interaction. This reform of the design as a whole gave way to the AX-2101 Synthetic.

The AX-2101 was nowhere near the level of success that the AXRU saw. As only a few hundred units of the AX-2101 were made it was almost considered a failure, but the long lineage of synthetics to come eventually saw the advent redeem itself. With a brand new set of AI tooling and intelligence the AX-2101 could also be expanded to roles that required the use of vehicles, suits, even combative.

A few AX-2101 units were undertaken into the PHALANX core for some experimentation. They continued to pick up a select few units from each batch.

The AX-series saw a continued, long string of development. With an increasing amount of people using them for utility roles aboard ships, on planets and in other odd places. Their natural carelessness for radiation meant they suited well in engineering environments. They also did well in science.

Crossing the Uncanny Valley: AX-2108

Although the Engineering Department continued to experiment with the AX series from 2101 to 2105, the real developments began to occur in 2107, where a series of improvements to synthetic skin, Micro-AI and many other small things were made available.

AX units were being tampered with in this time and, until 2107, they could not cross the so-called ‘Uncanny Valley’ where their facial features made them too strange for humans to get along with comfortably. The Earlier units got away with this with a blatantly obvious synthetic tone, pure-white coloured limbs and their unfound heartlessness. Synthetics in later variants would have to ensure they didn’t fall into a place where people hated them for being weird.

With the development of a new Micro-AI. This was possible, and thus the AX-2108 unit was rolled out, with an AI that was almost impeccable the unit carried similar capabilities to entire AI cores. At this point it was only being held back by its own developer: AXIOM. Whose top staff advised against mass use of the technology for what's now considered comical reasons.

Robots and Synthetics

Robots

2090-2099

The Standard type of Robot is precisely 175cm tall, (5’8’’) not including its antennae which can extend the height to 185cm.

Their outer shell, coloured in a dull grey on a standard model, consists of a thin layer of composite plating, designed to be durable and radiate heat. The outer plating houses some of the more dangerous mechanical systems of the robots inside. However, some of the robots' base ‘skeleton’ can be seen as the shoulders and groin.

It’s light chassis, short stature, and modular attachment points for tooling allow the robot to be upgraded and updated for new tool systems constantly, effectively making the standard robot unlimited in its capabilities.

Synthetics

2101-2107

Synthetics designed between 2101 and 2107 were initially designed to fulfill human-interaction. They also found use being used to man and operate human-designed EVA, suits, and exoskeletons when required, something the earlier robots could not do due to their skeletal form and altered proportions. However, they failed at the human-interaction level, the several minor differences-- they’re permanent formal tone, uncanny-valley level features and a myriad of small features made them jarring and strange. This was changed in 2108 with a set of new changes…

However, the units still had their places. Few were taken into AXIOM’s ADG core to undergo some combative testing. And the rest of the units were relegated to Engineering and Sciences. Their defensive weaponry-- if anything-- consisted of a heavy metal rod-- materials of which varied-- and a small sidearm.

Synthetic Humans

2108+

AX-2108 ‘Whyte’, a synthetic human relegated to medical duties on the HCR-146 Emissary.

Once 2108 rolled around, a series of new improvements to synthetic technology allowed synthetics to improve in their appearance, they surpassed the uncanny valley and, in normal operation, 2108-2113 synthetics appear as if they’re a normal human being, their AI systems being tailored to provide a false sentience, allowing them to have a new, significantly downsized AI microchip. Whereas such AI would usually take a whole room of computer processors to make, the microchip takes up the same space as a golf ball.

Later units were relegated to areas where more human interaction was required, such as in medical fields. These units housed minor improvements to their systems and AI.