Borg alcove A Borg alcove was a device used by Borg drones for regeneration . When the Borg drones were not needed for immediate tasks , it was used as a drone storage device by the Borg Collective . Basic purpose . When the Borg had assimilated individuals who were of a young age , they were placed in a maturation chamber until they reached the age of a thirteen year old human , or an equivalent developmental stage of other species . ( ) From that age on a drone would make use of an alcove which was specifically attuned for the individual drone , although minor adjustments could be made to accommodate use by other drones . ( ) The drone would then return to the alcove on a semi - regular basis for the purpose of regenerating mental , physical and electromechanical energies spent through normal activity . Alcove design and technology . All alcoves were relatively the same in basic design with a few exceptions . One such exception was the Borg Queen – she had a different alcove , called the central alcove . Another notable alcove which featured a unique design was a portable regenerator designed by Seven of Nine . Although it is unclear if this alcove was unique , it featured the same purpose as a " normal " alcove in a compact and portable design . It was used by adapting a Neural transceiver to interface with the portable alcove . ( ) An alcove was sized to allow the drone to fit inside . It was sized slightly wider and higher than a drone , with a small raised platform for the drone to stand upon . A green disc large enough to accommodate the drone ' s head was positioned at the height of the drone . Unnecessary to its use , it pulsated visually with various patterns , some static and others dynamic , usually green and white in color . ( ) Once positioned into the alcove , a drone ' s mechanical parts established a connection with the alcove ' s systems ( much the same way a doctor would monitor a patient with a biobed . The alcove then established a connection in one of two ways : either through a port resembling an arm rest onto which a drone would connect its arm , or by means of tubes which connected directly from the wall into various ports in the drone exo - plating ( ; ) . When the Borg drone stepped into the alcove it would stand upright , if its species physiology permitted . During the entire regeneration cycle a drone would have to face outwards within the alcove , although some alcoves allowed drones to face either outward or inward . ( ) When a drone ' s cortical node malfunctioned a regeneration cycle could not be started . If a drone remained in an unregenerate state for too long , it lost motor control , and eventually became unconscious ; a state very undesirable to the Borg . If a Borg drone was unable to continue to fully regenerate as it needed ( due to injury or malfunction ) , it would be removed from its alcove by other drones and its components were salvaged for reuse . ( ) With knowledge of Borg technology , alcoves could be integrated directly into Starfleet vessels to serve the same purpose of their counterparts on Borg vessels . When this was done they would require over thirty megawatt s of power to run each alcove . ( ) Or if needed , a Borg drone could regenerate by means of a converted Federation power conduit which would function similar to an alcove . ( ) Placement within the vessel . Most Borg vessels situated alcoves along corridors or other " wasted " space within a Borg vessel . Depending on the type of vessel there would be at least as many alcoves as there were drones . When an alien ship was captured and assimilated , the alcoves were created where there was space to place them . ( ; ) An alcove was a separate unit that could be beamed to another ship when the situation required it . Alcoves could be placed separately or clustered together with a Borg computer console at the end . ( ) Alcove regenerative state . A Borg drone would enter its regenerative state similar to sleep for a period of time called a regeneration cycle . A regeneration cycle would vary in length based on factors such as : how long it had been since the drone last entered an alcove ; what species and age the drone was ; was the drone injured and was the drone needed for assignment or task . A typical regeneration cycle took a full 6 hours to complete . ( ) When part of the collective a drone could go without regeneration for roughly two hundred hours before it suffered serious ill - effects , however a former Borg drone severed from the collective such as Seven of Nine must regenerate at least three hours a day . ( ) Although during regeneration a drone would enter a mental state similar to that of sleep , it remained far from unconsciousness . Drones who were disconnected from the Borg Collective and hive mind were able to stop the regeneration cycle themselves at their desire , although an incomplete regeneration cycle is likened to being woken from slumber and can have an effect of grogginess . ( ) A drone that was functioning normally and part of the Hive Mind did not dream ; instead , a drone ' s mental capacity was apportioned to various tasks . These tasks sometimes involved the control of nanite s . For instance , a drone might be utilized to repair damage to a vessel or to heal injured comrades while remaining semi - conscious in the alcove . In some situations , a drone would perform various tasks that were directly connected to other drones or the ship ' s systems , while remaining connected to the alcove . ( ; ) A regeneration cycle could be interrupted without the drone ever knowing , using various technology that prevented the drone from " waking " when the cycle was interrupted . The Hansens used this technique to examine Borg drones by beaming a drone from its alcove to their ship . When drones were in their alcoves , Federation scanner s seem to detect only a single life sign when scanning a Borg vessel . This was partly due to the nature of the Hive mind and partly due to the nature of Borg cybernetics , which integrated most bio - electromechanical functions into the Borg systems . ( ) Other uses . In 2377 , the Borg discovered that drones with a genetic mutation used their alcoves to create Unimatrix Zero , in which they could interact with each other while regenerating , although the memories and experiences gained within it would not stay with the drone when the regeneration cycle ended . ( )