Android, Soong-type
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Android, Soong-type | |
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| Four Letter Code | STAd |
| Federation Status | Allied |
| Planet of Origin | Federation colony on Omicron Theta |
| Encountered | TNG: Encounter at Farpoint |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | N |
| List of Named Androids, Soong-type | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
Name
- Proper Name: Soong-type Android
- Pronunciation: Sung-type An-droyd
Home System
- Quadrant: Alpha
- Location: Omicron Theta
- Proper Name: Omicron Theta
- Pronunciation: Oh-mee-kron Thay-ta
Home World
- Proper Name: Omicron Theta
- Pronunciation: Oh-mee-kron Thay-ta
- Classification: M
- Satellites: 2
History
Soong-type androids were discovered in the 2330s on Omicron Theta by the crew of the USS Tripoli, who were answering a distress call from the planet. Named for fabled cyberneticist, Dr. Noonian Soong, the first five of his creations were assembled in his own image, while his final creation, was built in the image of Juliana O'Donnell, his lover, in a desperate bid to save her from certain death after their home planet was attacked by the Crystalline Entity. Only the last four of Soong's models were equipped with working positronic brains: B-4, Lore, Data, and O'Donnell.
Description
Soong-type androids are designed to appear human, and, other than their silver skin and golden eyes, are anatomically correct in construction.
Physiology
Internally, Soong-type androids are extremely elaborate in their construction. They are equipped with sophisticated positronic brains, capable of a total linear computational speed rated at sixty trillion operations per second, and storing approximately one hundred petabytes of information. Their body construction varies; including an overall total of 24.6 kilograms of tripolymer composites, 11.8 kilograms of molybdenum-cobalt alloys and 1.3 kilograms of bioplast sheeting. A Soong-type android's skull is composed of cortenide and duranium, and its upper spinal support is constructed from a polyalloy that is designed to withstand extreme stress. All told, the average android weighs around 100kg.
Soong-type androids require neither sleep nor sustenance, although they can be maintained using a semi-organic nutrient suspension in a silicon-based liquid medium in order to ensure that their biological functions run smoothly. In order to keep their eyes clean and moist, Soong-type androids have a blinking subroutine that is governed by a Fourier series, in order for the function to seem random.
Soong-type androids do not reproduce, however in 2366, Lieutenant Commander Data attempted to construct a daughter, whom he named Lal. Unfortunately, she suffered a systems-wide cascade failure, and ceased to function.
One of the most closely guarded secrets of the Soong-type androids is their off-switch. This is located in the small of the back, and can be used to instantly cut power to all of the android's systems.
Psychology
Soong-type androids are capable of a range of emotions, comparable to other humanoids. However, in order for these emotions to manifest, their emotion chip must be activated. Lieutenant Commander Data showed on numerous occasions that he had the ability to turn his emotion chip off. The personalities of each android has a tendency to differ, although it can be predetermined, based on the subroutines that are initially included as a part of its positronic net and any memories that its creator may deign to include in its databanks. It is possible to use a Soong-type android as a host for a human's mind by using a synaptic scan to replicate the engrams of the desired human's brain.
Society
As there are so few Soong-type androids in existence, their position in society is uncertain. They are considered sentient, and widely considered to be life-forms in their own right. However, on a number of occasions, it has become apparent that Federation law does not always recognise that they have the same rights as biological life-forms.
Despite their origins being through construction rather than conception, Soong-type androids form bonds with their creators. Lieutenant Commander Data regarded Dr. Noonian Soong as his father, and Lore and B-4 as his brothers.
Federation Intelligence Files
- Soong-type androids proved themselves capable of self-sacrifice when in 2379, Lieutenant Commander Data sacrificed himself to save the crew of the USS Enterprise from a Thalaron radiation weapon.
- Lore, one of Dr. Noonian Soong's earlier creations, has often acted against the Federation, and has previously allied himself with rogue Borg.
- The current situation of the Soong-type android B-4 is unknown. A transfer of Lieutenant Commander Data's experiences and memories into B-4's neural net was undertaken in 2379, but it is yet to be seen whether or not this process will fully take.
References
- Star Trek:The Next Generation (Seasons 1-7)
- Memory Alpha
