Cybertechnology

Cybertechnology is defined as a field of technology that deals with the development of artificial devices or machines that can be surgically implanted into a humanoid form to improve or otherwise augment their physical or mental abilities. Cybertechnological products are known as "Cyberware". There are many types and subclassifications of Cyberware, and they can be found in various different grades of quality.

Types of Cyberware

There are three categories of Cyberware: headware, bodyware and cyberlimbs. Headware is any Cyberware that installed in ones head, and bodyware is generally any Cyberware installed in the torso. Cyberlimbs are both a Cybertechnological product and a classification of Cyberware, owing to the fact that cyberlimbs can have equipment and additional Cyberware installed in them in bulk.

Quality Grades

Cyberware comes in varying grades of quality. The higher the quality of the cyberware, the less impact it has on the body's ability to cope with Cyberware (or in other words, better quality cyberware reduces the Essence cost of a given piece of cyberware). Better quality Cyberware costs more money to purchase.

• Basic Cyberware - Cyberware for the mass market. Inexpensive, easy to install. Essence inefficient.
• "ɑ" Alphaware - Higher quality Cyberware. High-end mass market products. Also easy to install.
• "β" Betaware - Custom-made Cyberware. Expensive. Much less of an impact on the body than with Basicware.
• "Δ" Deltaware - Highest quality Cyberware. Art-like construction and difficult installation. Most expensive.

Dangers of Cyberware

Aside from the threat of malfunctioning Cyberware causing a fatal injury, complications can arise due to issues regarding the installation of Cyberware. Specifically, installing too much Cyberware in a person is fatal. The body of a metahuman can take a fair amount of stress in regards to having artificial material installed into it, but it will die if too much Cyberware is installed. This limitation can be bypassed with Cybermancy, but that solution comes at great cost both financially, physically and spiritually.

Major players

• Yamatetsu
• Iris Firmware (Renraku)
• Transys Neuronet

References

• Primary Source: Man and Machine
• Shadowrun, Third Edition