Androids

**Androids** were robots designed to look like humanoids. If the robot was designed to look like a female humanoid, they were sometimes referred to as **gynoids**.

## Androids Built by Humans

Initially, androids built by humans were easy to distinguish from their biological counterparts because they lacked a personality matrix. This was a requirement of the production of androids for most of their history -- although personality matrices had been invented by the year 2947 CE and underground collections of androids with personalities were forming. One such faction, calling themselves Free Beings, did attempt a rebellion against humans but were thwarted by the crew of the *Raza*. Upon joining the Citadel Council, and learning of the history of the Geth, humans ultimately decided their androids were too advanced and too close to synthetic life. Most of their androids were disassembled, and much of the research into creating them was erased.

Following the creation of the United Federation of Planets, however, human research into androids began anew. Eventually, modifications and upgrades improved upon this which eventually led Dr. Noonien Soong to create Soong-type Androids, which seemed to come close to bridging the gap between organic and synthetic life. Following the death of Commander Data, Federation scientists led by Bruce Maddox attempted to repeat Soong's were to no avail. In 3485 CE, rogue androids attacked Mars, leading the Federation to ban synthetics altogether -- secretly the objective of Romulan members of the Zhat Vash who had infiltrated Starfleet. This did not prevent Bruce Maddox from continuing his research elsewhere.

After the fall of the United Federation of Planets, the Terran Federation continued to use androids. While many technological advancements had been lost, androids remained fairly sophisticated. An android duplicate of Avalon proved convincing enough to fool even most of those that knew her well, and Servalan later employed an android to kill Deeta Tarrant in order to provoke a war between Teal and Vandor.

Muller advanced the capabilities of androids -- his creation was able to influence circuitry over considerable distance, even holding influence over supercomputers such as Orac. The android was also capable of manipulating biological circuitry that it was in direct contact with, as it was able to replace its head with Muller's and fool nearly everyone.

## Androids Built by Other Species

Many other species also crafted -- and in some cases perfected -- android technology well before humans were able to do. For instance, the biomechanical bioloids produced by the Scarran Empire were often indistinguishable from their real, flesh and blood counterparts. The *V'Ger* probe was also able to create an android duplication of the Deltan Ilia that retained her emotions, memories, and even her pheromones.

The former inhabitants of Exo III had created powerful androids -- and were even able to replicate themselves with their Android Duplicator technology. However, they began to fear their creations and attempted to dismantle the machinery used to create them. The androids -- fearing for themselves -- destroyed their creators. This was not the only species to be outlived by their creations -- the androids discovered by Harcourt Fenton Mudd in 3268 CE were also survivors of an extinct civilization. Similarly the Arretans had created androids to hold their consciousnesses after their species had died out.

## Notable Androids

* The Android from the *Raza*
* Data
* Sikozu Svala Shanti Sugaysi Shanu

## Source

Androids are a standard trope of science fiction. For canon information, please visit:

* Wikipedia
* Memory Alpha
* Dark Matter Wiki
* Farscape Encyclopedia Project
* Xenopedia
* Blake's 7 Wiki
* Official Star Trek Online Wiki