PSP-1 Personal Surveillance Probe

Maintainer

Bret Godfrey

Primary Designers

Bret Godfrey

Original Designers

Bret Godfrey

Revision History
Revision 1 10 August 2000

Approved by Engineering Director Owen Townes


Table of Contents

Description
Dimensions
Appearance when hologram is not operating
Control
Communication
Stealth
Videon Gas
Sensory
Propulsion
Power
Self-destruct mechanism

Description

The PSP-1 is designed as a small, inconspicuous surveillance probe used for localized covert observations. It is meant to be a low observable "eye" for Security and Intel agents in the field.

Dimensions

Size: 18 cm diameter by 6 cm tall. Mass: 1.9kg

Appearance when hologram is not operating

"Double Pie Tin" shaped, polished silver in color with a transparent fish eye lens at both the top hemisphere and the bottom. And a .2 cm band of alternating gold and black hexagons. The gold hex's are antigrav emitters, the black are echo multisensory scanners.

Control

The PSP-1 can be remotely operated using a slightly modified tricorder, or other suitably equipped data transmission device. It also has the option of being "stand alone". I.E.: Being programed to perform a specified task under specified parameters such as "Follow NE Crime Lord", or "Patrol parameter on map grid X, at a height of 3 meters, stopping every 15 meters and take optical/audio scans."

Communication

The PSP-1 uses a subspace data transceiver found currently used in the standard issue tricorder. The receiver itself can be configured to only receive instructions from a specific frequency, location, only during certain time intervals, or from a person with a specific security prefix code, or on a broad band. The transmitter also has two configurations. It can be preprogrammed for continuos transmission of data, or high speed micro burst. The high speed micro burst is used when the user of the probe wishes the probe to be low observable. The transmission happens in only a specified time frame. But can be preset to specified frequency, or a random frequency. Range of the subspace transmitter is 100m if out in the open, 50m if in a building or cavern, and 20m if the probe is inside a starship or starbase (because the starship's/starbase's energy conduits decrease the reliability of the transmitter).

Stealth

The PSP-1 utilizes a rather unique semiholographic projection technique for visual camouflaging. It has a dual layer hull construction. The inner layer is a Garfield LAMINAR hologrid. The laminar hologrid is a thin (.3 cm) circuit-membrane with micro multi spectral light emitters. The outer layer is .3 cm transparent aluminum for strength, and clarity of image projection. Sandwiched between these two layers (the Garfield Laminar hologrid, and the transparent aluminum hull) is a micro vapor field of Videon gas. The holographic image is actually transmitted into the videon gas. Giving the holographic camouflage a low resolution visual acuity at a reduction in computer proccessor cost over standard holographic emitters. Even so, 1/4 of the total mass of the probe is taken up with an oversized isolinear "brick" 7 cm x 3 cm x 1 cm in shape that's entirely dedicated to the holographic projectors. There are also 4 interlinked standard isolinear chips used for navigation, communication, sensory memory, and backup memory . Originally, the probe was to have a spherical shape. But problems in maintaining holographic imagery at a usable processor work load proved to be insurmountable. Hence the double pie tin design. The double pie tin reduces the processor work load by decreasing the volume of area coverage to basically 3 "sides". The top half, bottom half, and the "edge". A byproduct of the videon gas is "seamless" coverage of the internal hologram. Giving full coverage of the probe, even where there is no holo-emitter. The probe's holographic imager is susceptible to bursts of high intensity ultraviolet radiation. If the probe should encounter such a burst (either from a mechanical device, or natural phenomenon), the Videon gas will lose it's holographic conductivity. The energy still produced by the laminar holomembrane will ignite the videon gas. Making the probe appear to be a rather distinctive, free floating pie shaped green neon light. The green neonish glow will continue for 30 minutes until either the laminar holomembrane short circuits from the heat generated, or the gas burns out. When the probe is on the move, there is a slight delay in the holographic imager. This delay can be perceived as a visual "bubble" in which the image appears to be liquid as though you're looking through a bowl of water. The faster the probe moves, the more the distortion. Though, one would have to be looking directly at it in order to notice the distortion.

Videon Gas

The Videon gas used in the holographic camouflage holds a magnetic charge. Which stabilizes the movement of the gas within the shell and causes the gas to react photo-electricaly with the holo-membrane. The gas is pressurized near it's micro-condensing point to near liquid form (aprox. 2200mb) which in turn, helps to produce a clearer image, and again stabilizes the movement of the gas within the shell. Should the shell be punctured, the videon gas would eject from the puncture wound and chemically react with the oxygen in a standard atmosphere to crystallize into a reddish brown dust. The crystals are generally harmless, but if breathed, can cause severe irritation in the lungs do to there jagged edges.

Sensory

The probe utilizes standard sensory devices found in current issue tricorders to record and identify visual, radio, subspace, and audio signatures. Note: it is not meant for use as a scientific collection device and hence has no micro or subatomic scanners. The probe's soul purpose is to monitor it's surroundings and report on any changes it observes. The range for the audio sensors is approximately 30m if out in the open, 20m if in a cavern or building, and 15m if in a starship or starbase. Depending on the sound. The probe has two visual digispectrometer lenses that are fish-eye in shape with a diameter of 4 mm. One located topside, and one below to give the probe a near perfect 360' visual acuity. When the probe's visual scanner is activated, a magnetic ring (1 mm thick) bordering the visual scanner produces a small negative charge which repulses the videon gas out of the visual range of the scanner. Thus the visual scanner would only be noticeable when the scanner was active, and then only if the observer happened to be looking directly at it.

Propulsion

The probe uses a series of antigrav projectors around it's surface. It can travel up to 1m/sec. with an acceleration up to .5m/sec. (It takes two seconds to get into full speed).

Power

Rechargeable sarium krellide crystal. The crystal gives the probe a maximum energy life span of 48 hours. But power usage is depended upon how far/fast the probe has to travel, how hard it has to work to maintain it's stationary position, activation of the holo-emiter, computer processor loads, sensory usage, and transmission usage. If all systems are running at full output, the probe only has enough energy for 7 hours of continuos use.

Self-destruct mechanism

The probe has a physically motivated self-destruct mechanism. Should the probe be subjected to a high burst of energy (be it radiation, or other forms such as heat, graviton etc.), the energy burst is channeled into a low tech detonator circuit that activates a 20g charge of phosphorous. The phosphorous will ignite and immediately melt the inner workings of the probe, along with the outer dual hull. The phosphorous will not totally destroy the entire mass of the probe, but melt it into a useless burning lump of silicon and transparent aluminum. The self destruct mechanism can also be remotely controlled in the off chance that the probe should become immobile or disabled either bynatural, or intentional obstruction. In the event that the probe is purposely sent on a mission where it is pre-determined that it will not be returning, it can also be programed to operate until the power levels drop past a certain level. Leaving just enough power left in the probe to activate the self destruct mechanism.