Holodecks
In the 20th century there was an expression "its all smoke and mirrors".
It was a crude reference to the lost art of illusionists and magicians. In the 24th
century, the illusions and 'magic' of the holodeck use forcefields and holograms.
Since before space flight was actually conducted on many Federation planets, psychologists
and scientists knew that long duration space flights would require certain measures to
keep the space travelers happy and psychologically fit for continued duty. There was no
doubt that staring into the same instruments and looking at the same features of a cramped
spaceship day, weeks, even months on end would be rehabilitating to the crew. Early space
flights usually had the early travelers brings recordings of their favorite music, poems,
writings, even family messages with them. Ground Controllers would even broadcast the
latest news and communications to their families to keep them in contact and content.
The desire to experience images, sounds and tactile stimuli not normally encountered on a
space vessel has followed explores across the Federation and its boarders for the last
four hundred years. Computer-driven projection imagery has filled starship crew's needs
for proactive spaces and, with the addition of certain sport and recreational gear,
provided an enjoyable model of reality. Various holographic optical and acoustic
techniques were applied through the years, finally giving way to a series of breakthroughs
in small forcefield and imaging devices that not only did not seriously impact starship
mass and volume constraints, but actually nurtured hyperrealistic flight-critical
simulations. In the last thirty years, the Holodeck has come into its own.
The Holodeck uses two main subsystems, the holographic imagery subsystem and the matter
conversion subsystem. The Holodeck also uses a independent environmental system and
separate fusion generators for supplemental power support. The holographic imagery
subsection creates the realistic background environments. The matter conversion subsystem
creates physical "props" from the starships central raw matter supplies. Under
normal conditions, a participant in a Holodeck simulation should not be able to detect
differences between a real object and a simulated one.
The Holodeck also generates remarkably lifelike recreations of lifeforms. Such animated
characters are composed of forcefield enhanced holograms arranged by the holographic
imagers and manipulated by highly articulated computer-driven forcefield projectors. The
results are exceptionally realistic "puppets," which exhibit behaviors almost
exactly like those of living beings, depending on software limits.
Objects created as the "props" will function as
their realistic counterparts, but unlike regular replicated material, are composed of
'holomatter'. Their molecular integrity is maintained by the Holodecks matter replication
forcefield and as such cannot exist outside the holodeck. The exceptions to this
'holomatter' are items like food, water, and air. You can eat and drink (or swim) and
breathe on the holodeck, and any meals consumed will leave with you and not dematerialize
from your stomach as you leave. The same goes for the air in your lungs and the moisture
on your body. It is possible to create objects on the holodeck
that are not composed of 'holomatter' and that may leave the holodeck with the user, but a
preprogrammed subroutine must be active on the holodeck program for this to occur.
Another unique characteristic effect of the Holodeck is its ability to accommodate
environments or terrain that given the illusion of being somewhere larger than the
holodeck is capable of containing. Outdoors environments or even huge enclosed areas of
greater volume than the holodeck itself are more commonly used the users preference of
escaping the confines of a starship are exhibited. Even in these settings, the user can
walk (run, fly, etc) distances that seem larger than the holodeck can accommodate. To
prevent the user from bumping into a holographic image which is actually the holodeck
wall, substrate forcefields in the decking project a 'treadmill like' effect, permitting
the user to remain relatively stationary while the simulated environment 'scrolls' by,
within the limits of the simulation program. As the user traverses the landscape, they
cannot detect the subtle effect of the forcefield as it 'scrolls' the landscape around
them and actually moves them and their immediate surroundings around while the
computer-driven holographic imagery around them neatly blends it to the background.
Another method used is to create "walls" within the holodeck, which can be used
to separate multiple users. These "walls" are nothing more than acoustically
protected holographic forcefields that allow multiple users to experience different parts
of the overall program at the same time. This feature enhances the Holodecks ability
to develop an entertaining environment where users can live out 'fantasies' or 'living
stories'. Users experiencing the same 'Holo-novel' or 'Holo-story' can separate at any
time during their visit, and each experience some different part of the overall
program and rejoin their fellow participants, providing within the limits of the program.
Some programs even allow the user to act as an observer, where they do not interact with
the program, merely witness the program. This is common for users who like to witness
'Historic' events without actually participating. In these types of programs, users can
walk through walls, walk on water, and even appear to hover over the ground. These
programs use almost no 'holomatter' or replicated material, instead making exclusive use
of holographic projections and imagery.
The basic mechanism behind the Holodeck is the omnidirectional holo diode (OHD) The OHD
comprises two types of microminature devices that projects a variety of special
forcefields. The density of the OHD's is 400 per square centimeter, only slightly less
than the active visual matrix of a multilayer display panels, and powered by standard
medium-duty electro-plasma taps. Entire walls are covered with OHDs, manufactured in an
inexpensive wide-roll circuit printing process. A typical Holodeck surface comprises
twelve subprocessing layers totaling 3.5 mm, diffusion bonded to lightweight structural
cooling tile averaging 3.04 cm thick. The primary subprocessor/emitter materials include
keiyurium, silicon animide and superconducting DiBe<2>Cu 732. Each single OHD
measures 0.01 mm. The optical data network mechanism by which the OHDs are sent impulses
is similar to that for display screens, though complete walls are broken down into
manageable high-speed segments, each 0.61 square meters. Dedicated high-speed subsections
of the starship main computers drive these
room-sized displays.
In addition to their ability to project full-color stereoscopic images, OHDs manipulate
forcefields in three dimensions to allow Holodeck visitors to "feel" objects
that are not really there. This tactile stimulation provides the proper feedback one
might expect from a rock on the ground or a tree growing in the forest. The only limiting
factors to the numbers and kinds of objects described by the computers are memory and time
to record or calculate from scratch the originals of the desired objects. The
forcefield created by the OHD is a tiny steerable version of its larger cousins the
tractor beam and navigational deflector. Under computer control, over a vast number of
OHDs, the cumulative effect is substantial. If the Holodeck is recreating, for example, a
large mass of rock, the computer would first create the three-dimensional surface of the
rock. This is accomplished by commanding certain OHDs to intersect their fields at the
required polygon coordinates. If the field strength is tuned to provide the proper mineral
hardness, the mass will 'feel' like rock. A vast library of recorded real substances is
available, and custom settings may be commanded for experimental purposes.
Other stimuli, such as sound, smell and taste are either simulated by more traditional
methods, or built into the created objects using normal replicator technology. Background
sounds and background aromas are created by the environmental system. These are so
accurate and so subtle, that they complete the illusion, just as their absence would make
the user recognize the simulation to be just that, a simulation. More elaborate methods of
using finely tuned forcefields and replictors allows the computer to 'deposit'
sounds and smells into defined areas to enhance the simulation. Everything from bad breath
on a holo-character to the buzz of a mosquito in ones ear can be accomplished with such
accuracy, visitors easily forget they are on a holodeck.
In a working environment like a Federation starship, safety is the prime importance and is
engineered into every system. Because the starship living environment is so highly
controlled, the emotional release associated with encounters with limited physical hazards
has been shown to be of significant value in maintaining the psychological well-being of
many crewmembers. Simulated high velocities and forces are normally created by sensor
illusions. While safeguards against critical bodily harm are
programmed into the computer, certain scenarios can result in unavoidable injuries such as
abrasions, bruises, sprains and even broken bones, even for experienced users. Overrides
also exist allowing senior officers to override the 'mortality failsafe' which leaves the
user completely vulnerable to serious injury. Such overrides are highly discouraged, and
multiple protocols must be entered for the override. Such overrides are also noted into
the ships security system as well as the medical record.
The actual programming of a Holodeck simulation is restricted to crewmembers who undergo
such program training. With such a vast library of holo-simulations available, even
crewmembers not certified for programming could not experience all the holo-simulations
currently available in one life-time. Since privacy is so important to maintain healthy
crew psychology's, private holo-deck simulations are common. Within the confines of the
Holodeck, crewmembers can relax and have no fear of intrusion. Only the Captain and Chief
Medical Officer have access to a 'private' Holo-file. While in progress, in addition to
the CO and CMO, only the First Officer and Chief of Security have the ability to override
the privacy lock on a holodeck during operation.
The benefits of the Holodeck as an entertainment source has not been overlooked as a
training aid as well. Many Divisions and Departments within Starfleet now make extensive
use of the Holodeck as the ultimate training simulator. From the days of the Kobayashi
Maru scenario, the Starfleet Academy has not overlooked what simulation training can
accomplish. Now the Academy also makes extensive use of the Holodeck system. Instead of
transporting cadets to remote planets for environmental condition training, most is not
accomplished in the halls of the Academy. Field maneuvers have not been completely removed
from training, but the more 'routine' simulations now occur on Academy grounds. It is
becoming more and more common for larger starships to employ 'specialized' Holodecks for
training. These are equipped with separate computer systems, programmed with the latest in
training scenarios and capable of producing the most realistic training available onboard
the confines of the modern starship.
Bibliography –
Star Trek TNG Technical Manual – by R.
Sternbach and M. Okuda
Author – LtCmdr. Wayne N Snyder
Date- 9809.20