Posted by Vice Admiral Robert Archer (Engineering Director) in Technology Submission Review - L.ARPS - 2-23-24

Hi again! I’ve already gone over this pre-submission, but have a couple of items that just jumped out at me.

Name of Technology : LCARS (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System) Augmented Reality Projection System (L.ARPS)

Technology Category: Personal Device

L.ARPS Image

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Technology Description:

Introduction
The need for seamless integration of technology into everyday life became paramount to developers at Narwhal Industeries.

Typo: Industeries should be “Industries”

Enterprising minds at Narwhal Industries therefore developed the LCARS (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System) Augmented Reality Projection System (L.ARPS) Inspired by the the Vorta’s cognitive display and control system L.ARPS is aimed to change how individuals interact with data in their environment. Paired with the advanced capabilities of the Wearable Tricorder XII (WTR-600), L.ARPS hopes to usher in a new era of technological advancement for Starfleet creating a more seamless approach to information gathering whilst in the field.

Design:
L.ARPS boasts a sleek and ergonomic design, blending seamlessly into everyday attire. The lightweight frame ensures comfort during extended use, while the adjustable headband provides a customizable fit for users of all sizes. The display unit is compact yet powerful, featuring a minimalist design with touch-sensitive controls for easy navigation. L.ARPS’s design prioritizes functionality without sacrificing style, making it a fashion statement as much as a technological marvel.
Together, L.ARPS and WTR-600 hope to redefine how individuals interact with their surroundings, empowering them with unparalleled access to information and enhanced situational awareness perfect for away missions.

Reference URL: https://www.star-fleet.com/library/bookshelf/tm/wtr-600.html

Technical Specifications:
Optics: L.ARPS features high-definition augmented holographic optics with adjustable focus up to 5kms, providing crisp and clear augmented reality overlay whilst allowing users to remain aware of their surroundings.

When we think of holographic displays in Trek we tend to think of 3D objects or displays floating in space, a la holodecks or Rios’s interface on La Sirena. Is this visible to anyone aside from the wearer? I think that originally there was an image of essentially the Apple Vision Pro, so like ski goggles - is that what we have here, or is it more akin to Google Glass, or the single-eye optic headpiece Sisko wears in an episode of DS9?

Now that I look around more, I don’t really see a description of what this looks like at all.

Display Resolution: With a high resolution and multi-spectral imaging sensors system, L.ARPS ensures detailed and immersive visual.

Processor: Powered by a custom-built LCARS VAIN (Visual Augmented Interface Network) dual quantum processor, L.ARPS swiftly communicates vast amounts of data with the WTR-600 for real-time augmented reality rendering.

Connectivity: L.ARPS integrates with the WTR-600 Wearable Tricorder XII through the Visual Augmented Interface Network (VAIN), ensuring a synergistic relationship between multiple devices.

Data Synchronization: L.ARPS and WTR-600 establish a secure connection via VAIN, facilitating data synchronization. Environmental data, biometric information, and sensor readings from the tricorder are transmitted in real-time to L.ARPS.

Collaborative Analysis: L.ARPS and WTR-600 analyze synchronized data streams in real-time with the capability to integrate up to 10 WTRs at once all providing a data bubble to allow users to access each other’s data for seamless colloboration. Advanced algorithms identify user needs showing them the most relevant information at the time that it is needed.

Typo: colloboration should be “collaboration”

Seamless Interaction: Users interact with augmented reality overlays via intuitive gestures, eye-tracking and voice commands. This allows access to additional information, toggling between data sets, and initiating actions directly from the heads-up display, streamlining workflows.
Real-Time Feedback: L.ARPS provides real-time feedback to the WTR-600, enabling adjustments to data collection parameters and focus areas based on user preferences. This bi-directional communication ensures relevant, accurate, and timely data presentation, enhancing the overall user experience.

Friend or Foe (FoF): Using live data streams and advanced pattern recognition algorithms, L.ARPS incorporates a friend or foe (FoF) function. This function identifies and distinguishes between friendly and hostile entities within the user’s view. When a potential target is detected, L.ARPS displays a targetry box around them, accompanied by relevant information such as identification, threat level, and affiliation. Additionally, even if entities move out of the user’s direct view, the L.ARPS system continues tracking up to 20 different entities simultaneously. It alerts the user of any dangers, including weapons fire, movement, or changes in threat levels, ensuring continuous situational awareness and proactive threat mitigation. This extended functionality enhances user safety and security in dynamic and unpredictable environments.

Battery Life: The long-lasting power cells equal to 3.3719239 × 109 coulombs (278,184 iPhone 15s per cubic centimetre.) of the L.ARPS ensures uninterrupted usage for up to 10 days on a single charge continuous use in normal conditions (atmospheric and environmental condutions may vary battery life), providing users with extended periods of exploration, analysis, and interaction. Moreover, the L.ARPS features a unique hot swap capability, allowing users to seamlessly swap batteries without interrupting display functionality.

Typo: condutions should be “conditions”

Hahaha I hadn’t noticed you left in the iPhone 15 equivalency here - that can be removed. Capacity for power cells in the TNG Tech Manual is listed in megajoules, if you want to list it.

For anyone wondering, that is the actual conversion of the power cell material used in Trek devices - one cubic centimeter contains energy equivalent to the batteries of 278,184 units of the iPhone 15.

And apologies Jake, I need to issue a mea culpa here: this design originally had the battery life listed as 12 hours. I told Jake that seemed awfully low as the device didn’t seem to do that much, and did the conversion listed above. One of the things I said was “I don’t see what you’re describing here being so powerful that you’d really need to worry about it (in-game).” What I failed to do was check what the battery life ratings were for other devices - tricorders are rated at 18 hours, PADDs at 16 hours, comm badges at 14 days of normal use (which is mostly stand-by), and the WTR-600 is 22 hours. The TM actually tells us how much power the tricorder uses, as well, which helps us figure out the size of its power cell - 1 cubic centimeter.

If we assume a higher power need for the larger display and other functionality, we can extrapolate that a 10-day cell needed for the L.ARPS would be 2cm x 2cm x 5cm (0.787in x 0.787in x 1.969in) - still fairly small, and arguably easier to swap in and out in the field than a 1cm cube.

But again, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Hot swap feature: users can replace near-depleted batteries with fully charged ones on the fly, ensuring continuous operation without any downtime. When initiating a battery swap, the L.ARPS utilizes localized power storage to temporarily sustain the device for up to 5 seconds, allowing users to switch batteries without losing data or connection. This ensures that users can remain focused on their tasks without worrying about interruptions, maintaining productivity and efficiency even during extended missions or critical operations.

Operating System: L.ARPS runs on the latest version of the LCARS operating system, optimized for intuitive interaction and information retrieval and makes use of the VAIN Network system.

Submitted:
Jake R
9-2-24

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Robert Archer EDir

I love this concept as a way of modernizing tricorder usage and interactions, even more so than the WTR-600 already does. What I’d love to see in here though is a description of the device itself.

Nathan
AEDir