[JanessaVR]

This one’s been in the back of my mind for a while.

Now, there’s no denying that a headware commlink would be 50 Shades of Awesome™.  Imagine your entire digital library only a thought away, and you can experience it all in AR windows that could be your own personal theater.  And the rest of your life could be organized with AR, too.  Terrible with names?  No problem!  Your life is basically a video game now as you can have everyone’s name displayed over their head (and add some notes).  “John Smith  |  Branch Manager  |  NOTES:  A total dick.”

There are just endless uses for experiencing life via thought-controlled AR.  But...there are some practicalities that need to be addressed.

Issue #1 – Literal Brain Surgery
To put it in your head, they’ll have to open up your skull.  How often do you want this happening?  Do you ever anticipate upgrading?  If so, this will be happening multiple times.  I don’t know about you, but I try to cut down on the number of neurosurgeries I plan on experiencing.

Issue #2 – Overheating
Ever experienced an overheating issue on your phone, laptop, or PC?  Ok, now imagine that computer is right next to your brain.  Are you scared yet?  You should be.

Issue #3 – Hackers
Nipping on the heels of the previous issue, what happens if a hacker bricks the thing?  I have difficulty not imagining that being an instant kill.


Well, all that kinda sucks.  Especially as we still want our cool headware commlinks.  So, what to do about that?  Well, here’s a thought – don’t put it in your head.  Here’s my revised model for headware.

We put it in your chest, specifically underneath your sternum.  We’ll attach a mount along the underside of it that’s designed for a thin commlink to slide in and dock with a connector leading up to an internal datajack in your brain.  So, you only have to have one neurosurgery with this arrangement.  Combine this approach with the Incision spell (SR5 Bullets & Bandages, p. 21) and upgrading your headware commlink is a quick outpatient surgery.  You’d be out the clinic door in under an hour without even a scar.  Feel free to upgrade your model annually without having your skull cut open every time.

Your thoughts?

[cuidaBeja]

One note I'd like to make is that an implanted commlink is probably not going to be an unmodified, off the shelf model. Neither your skull nor your thoracic cavity (only a cavity if you take the organs out) have a lot of empty space.

Implanted commlinks, decks, and RCCs are probably removed from a case and have all their boards coated in a dielectric potting of some sort.

[Xenon]

Imagine your entire digital library only a thought away, and you can experience it all in AR windows that could be your own personal theater.  And the rest of your life could be organized with AR, too.  Terrible with names?  No problem!  Your life is basically a video game now as you can have everyone’s name displayed over their head (and add some notes).  “John Smith  |  Branch Manager  |  NOTES:  A total dick.”

No need to have the commlink implanted for your brains to directly interface with it.
You just need a direct neural interface (implanting a datajack or wear trodes).

[JanessaVR]

One note I'd like to make is that an implanted commlink is probably not going to be an unmodified, off the shelf model. Neither your skull nor your thoracic cavity (only a cavity if you take the organs out) have a lot of empty space.

Implanted commlinks, decks, and RCCs are probably removed from a case and have all their boards coated in a dielectric potting of some sort.

I was envisioning a model that's something around 0.5" wide, 4" long, and nickel-thick.  I would think that you could squeeze that in there.  Manufacturers would specifically make implant models for sternum mounts.

[JanessaVR]

No need to have the commlink implanted for your brains to directly interface with it.
You just need a direct neural interface (implanting a datajack or wear trodes).

These are other possible solutions.  But having to wear trodes everywhere strikes me as hugely inconvenient.  A Signal 0 wireless datajack that's slaved to the commlink in my purse, that I could get behind.