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Cyberears

Here are a modification to the Cyberware given in the SRII, SSC, ST, and SB sourcebooks.

Basic Sound Physics

The Unit of loudness of sounds is the decibel (dB). Below is a list of ranges of loudness. A sound of 40 dB is 10 times louder than a 30 dB sound.

Sound Decibel
Whisper 20 dB
Normal Speaking Voice 60 dB
Car Horn 90-100 dB
Jet Aircraft 130 dB
Permanent Ear Damage exceeding 140 dB
Space Shuttle from the pad 162 dB

The unit of frequency of sound is the Hertz (Hz). The ranges of frequencies of sounds are as below.

| Frequency Range | Description | |—————–|————————————————–| | < 20 Hz | Subsonic. Felt as vibrations and shocks | | 20 Hz - 20 kHz | Range of Human hearing | | > 20 kHz | Ultrasonic. | | 50 kHz | Limit of Dogs’ hearing, Usual Depth sounder frequency | | 100 kHz | Limit of Bats’ hearing | | 1 MHz - 10 MHz | Medical Ultrasonic frequencies |

Ultrasonics

By using ultrasonic frequencies, and a technique known as echolocation, the following information can be obtained:

Range: by measuring the time lag between the signal sent out, and the received echo, the distance from the target can be determined.

Angular Direction: the stereo effect. If two receivers are used, then the angle of the echo can be determined.

Relative velocity: the relative velocity between the gear and the target is determined by the doppler shift of the echo; or by consecutive range and angular direction measurements.

Target oscillations: fluttering movements in the target, causing changing surface areas and varying doppler shifts.

Target Size: the amplitude of the echo can be used as a rough indication of size.

Target Shape and Surface Properties: when a target is illuminated with sound a three dimensional scattered field of echos. Information on shape and surface properties is encoded on the spectral composition and temporal structure of the whole echo field.

Cyberears

Basic Cyberear

This cyberear bypasses the middle and inner ears of the user, the implant placed in the bone just behind the ear, preserving the user’s sense of balance. It does not provide a neural interface - this is added by installing a Sound SPU into the users cranial interface. The Ear can hear frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Attribute Value
Essence Cost 0.10 per ear
Cost 2000 nY
Availability 2/24 hrs
Street Index 0.75

Extended Range is available at extra cost:

  • +1,500 nY for 20 kHz to 50 kHz
  • +2,000 nY for 20 kHz to 100 kHz
  • +2,000 nY for 0 Hz to 20 Hz

    Ultrasonic Transmitter

Consisting of a small transmitter installed centrally in the body (the throat is the usual places). It is required for full echolocation via the cyberear system.

SPU(Sound)

When installed in the User’s senseware interface, the sound coprocessor acts upon raw data from a cyberear, and depending on its current settings, process the data into a form the brain can understand. The Spu allows programs to instruct how it is to handle sound data. These programs are stored either in headware memory, or DataSofts. The SPU has full stereo capabilities, and when installed in an Encephalon, can interact with other cybernetic systems (eg. Provide noise level data for display on normal vision).

Input can also come from Headware memory, or datajack link, (in the case of from a datajack, it works as a mastoid implant speaker).

The rating of the SPU also affects the number of programs that can be running concurently on it, before System Load begins to degrade. The maximum total rating of active programs is 4 times the rating of the CPU.

This SPU can only handle conventional uses of ultrasonic frequencies. For the extended uses (as listed in the preface above) a SPU(Ultrasound) is required.

Level Essence Cost Price Features
1 .15 4,000 nY  
2 .15 10,000 nY Integral 2-channel mixer

Options:

  • 2 track sampler: +2,000 nY
  • 4 track sampler: +3,000 nY

    SPU(Echolocation)

This interfaces between the cyberears, ultrasonic transmitter, brain, and a Vision SPU. It unlocks the full potential of ultrasonics, providing all effects described in the preface. The SPU is a preprocessor for the data, automatically switching echolocation signal modes as needed, and providing data for the SPU(Vision) to display as a visual sense. The information is in the form of a monochrome image, with a terrain eqivalent to the actual physical environment. The texture of the shapes reflects the actual surface properties.

Damper Program

This program designed to be run by a Sound SPU removes dangerous and sudden increases in sound volume, removing discomfort from the user. Available in ratings 1 to 4.

  • Price: (rating²) × 500
  • Program Size: (rating²) Mp

Recorder Program

This program duplicates the sound signal sent on to the brain, and sends a copy to an output or storage device of the Users choice. This can be headware memory, or datajack, or even headware radio, or a mixture. This will affect SLD (System Load Delay, ShadowTech pg 44), by +1.

  • Normal Spectrum sound: 1 Mp / minute
  • Extended Spectrum sound: 3 Mp / minute
  • Price: 2,000 nY
  • Program Size: 5 Mp

Amplifier Program

This program improves signal strength by about +15 dB per rating, and does it’s best to clear up sound quality and reduce distortion. Available in ratings 1 to 6. For usage, refer SRII page 185 (Perception).

  • Price: (rating²) × 1000
  • Program Size: (rating²) Mp

Sound Filter Program

Provides a combination of Low-Pass, Band-Pass and High-Pass filters, configurable by the User (free action to change 1 setting). Available in ratings 1 to 5.

  • Price: (Rating²) × 500 nY
  • Program Size: (rating) Mp

Sound Analysis Program

Decodes sounds based on a sound database loaded into Memory, or on a chip. Output can be directed to a display link, or a new audio sound can be generated from data and sent to the brain.

»>[Doesn’t sound thrilling does it? Think again, you and some friends can generate your own battle language, and this will do the decoding for you.]«<

  • Feral

»»>[ Is it true, or just rumor, that your battle language is just a set of rages and howls, Feral? ]««<

  • Scythe

»»>[ Why, I ought to rip … Grrr! ]««<

  • Feral

»»>[ Another use is for weapon identification, you have online a database of weapon sounds, so you can identify what the weapon currently being fired at you is just from the sounds. Military systems can even attempt to remember each gun, and count the number of rounds fired from it. ]««<

  • the Unknown Merc

»»>[ “This is an AK-47, prefered weapon of the enemy, very distinctive sound.” ]««<

  • Gunny Serg

Music Analyser

Similar to the Sound Analyser above, this is an adaption to the Rocker market. It will provide a breakdown on musical instruments, voices, pitch, volume, and even the notes for each instrument. Output again is either to the brain, display link, or even to cybernetic instrument systems.

Things to ponder: Sonar-like effects (Scott), Sonar Rangefinder