Nanites
(Copied straight from .XML 'backup' file, needs formatting and corrections. ZM User (talk) 20:15, 22 April 2024 (PDT))
This article discusses a subject with undecided "Canon". The Swarm Cycle writers need to discuss this on the email list, come to a decision, and then update this article to let readers know what Swarm Cycle "true canon" is.
Nanites
Nanites are microscopic robotic systems that under the direction of an AI can effect biological changes on humans to cure diseases, repair injuries, or effect physiological changes. They are inserted in all Confederacy personnel soon after extraction from Earth, and later in the timeline are provided to the general population of Earth.
Initial Injection
The initial medical nanite package provided for all extractees contains tools that do various things: They will (in no particular order) clean out arterial plaque, remove tar and other foreign substances from lungs, help repair any improperly set broken bones, cure some addictions like caffeine, etc. Note that some addictions (nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine specifically) will need further work for many users. They form the basis for Confederacy health systems and are able to perform what modern medicine would consider miracles.
Sponsors are given a set of construction nanites that build an implant in their head. This implant can be used for private communications with the local AI, since it taps into both the the optic and optic nerves. These taps are two-way; not only does the implant pass on what the sponsor sees and hears, but the tap allows the implant to provide sights and sounds visible and audible only to that sponsor.
AI Interaction
Med-Tubes provide important diagnostic functions that nanites themselves seem to lack. Along with the AI-assisted Med-tube, nanites are able to effect cures to a wide variety of diseases as well as reverse the aging process in humans and other species. The Med-Tube diagnoses a condition and directs the nanites to effect a cure.
In addition to curing diseases, nanites are able to effect significant physiological changes in subjects to increase height, muscle mass, neurological responsiveness and other important physical characteristics. Some of the changes might be made while a subject is in a Med-Tube, but AI-assisted Med-Tube programming can last indefinitely after a medical session to effect changes well beyond the time when a subject was in a Med-Tube.
Story Usage
A textual analysis of the story repository, current as of 9/2019 and performed on 2019-09-21 and using SS Lib ver 1.15.07 (9/21/2019) identified the following top ten usage counts for Nanite:
- Tufts Family Anthology by Doc Tufferson 175 instances.
- We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Brothers by LughIldanach 72 instances.
- Destination Azahar by deGaffer 33 instances.
- The First Command by Zen Master 31 instances.
- One Day in the Life of Jane Davidson by Zipper D Dude 24 instances.
- Joacim & L'ielit Anthology by Benjin 23 instances.
- Mister Bozo by Zipper D Dude 22 instances.
- In Loco Parentis by Justin Radically 20 instances.
- Acceptance by Frostfyre 18 instances.
- Flight From Babylon by John Lewiston 17 instances.
(Someday this will be a navigation template. It will provide a bar across the bottom of each article with useful navigation links. Until then, this is just a placeholder to get rid of all the red "broken link" indicators. -ZM User (talk) 10:00, 3 May 2024 (PDT))
