Star Trek Federation Tricorder

**Name**: Tricorder
**Model**: Starfleet Tricorder
**Type**: sensory device
**Scale**: character
**Size**: 8.5 x 12 x 3 cm
**Weight**: 0.35 kg
**Skill**: Sensors: Tricorder
**Duration**: 1,000 hours + induction recharging
**Range**:

* Long Range: 2,000 meters
* Short Range: 25 meters

**Game Notes**:

* All Long Range Scans are omnidirectional, but the user must aim the tricorder at a specific location to perform a short-range scan. various types of ionic and other interference can greatly reduce the range of a tricorder's scans.

**Tricorder Example**

When closed the tricorder is protected by its tough duranium casing. When open, it displays a number of touch pads and indicators. These are:

* **PWR STBY**: Standby mode indicator.
* **F1 / F2**: This is the dual function control switch. Most controls on the tricorder have two separate functions. This control switches between the two.
* **I (Internal) & E (External)**: The "I" switch allows the tricorder to access data from its own sensors, while "E" switch allows the tricorder to receive data from remote sources, including a staship's, main computer.
* **Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma**: Four indicator lights which let the user know if the tricorder is recording (Alpha), accessing (Beta), processing (Delta), or transmitting (Gamma) data.
* **Display Screen**: This small screen and the concealed speaker beneath it are capable of displaying any audiovisual information recorded by or stored in the tricorder. This screen can also display sensor data from the tricorder, including visual representations of IR, UV or other invisible forms of radiation. It is possible to use a tricorder to perceive objects and creatures normally invisible to humans.
* **Library A / B**: The "A" function directs the unit to store data in its main memory; "B" directs the unit to store data on one of the unit's two removable isolinear optical chips.
* **GEO / MET / BIO**: These switches direct the unit to perform geological, meteorological or biological (lifeform) scans. When used with three adjacent buttons, the unit can control and receive data from up to 27 remote information sources. Using its built-in sensors, the unit can perform the following different scans:

* **Biological, long-range**: The unit can detect the number and position of all lifeforms of a given size within its range. Individual lifeforms can also be tracked.
* **Biological, short-range**: The unit can identify the type of lifeform (e.g., humanoid, energy being, reptilian), including the exact species if that lifeform is known to Federation science. General information about the creature's physical condition is also provided.
* **Geological, long-range**: The unit can locate large caves, significant mineral deposits, and important geological features, such as fault lines. This setting also allows the device to determine the rough chemical composition of any substance within range and to locate large concentrations of any desired material.
* **Geological, long-range**: The unit can detect small caves and concealed features, such as underground water or small mineral deposits. The unit can also locate concentrations (even a few grams) of a desired substance. The exact chemical composition of unknown substances can also be determined.
* **Meteorological, long-range**: The unit can analyze local weather patterns, predict the weather up to twenty hours in advance, and detect problems like ionic interference. This setting will also reveal the magnitude, type, and location of any large energy sources within its range (such as shuttlecraft).
* **Meteorological, short-range**: The unit can determine the exact composition of the local atmosphere, it can also detect and locate small energy sources (such as another tricorder).

* **Comm Transmission**: These four switches govern the communication with other devices. "Accept" allows the unit to receive information from a given source; "Pool" networks it with other devices; "Intership" links it to a ship's computer; and "Tricorder" links it with other tricorders in range. Like a personal communicator, a tricorder can contact a starship up to 60,000 km away and another tricorder or combadge up to 500 km away.
* **EMRG**: This in an emergency button. Once activated, the tricorder sends all its data to a starship. This transmission can take up to ten minutes and temporarily shuts down all other functions.
* **Image Record**: These buttons allow the unit to record, play back and edit audiovisual recordings made by the unit. A tricorder may store more than 2,000 hours of high-density recording in its Library B memory.
* **ID**: This touch pad can be set to a user's unique biometric field, so that no one else may use it.

**Description**: Tricorders are extremely compact and powerful sensory devices. In addition to containing a wide range on miniature electromagnetic, magnetic, audio, chemical and subspace sensors, tricorders also include extremely detailed databanks on a wide range of scientific and historical information. The computer in the tricorder can rapidly identify known lifeforms, materials or energy sources by comparing its sensory reading with its databanks. Tricorders can also attempt to analyze unknown lifeforms, material or energy sources, although this could take up to an hour, during which the tricorder may still be used for other tasks.

Tricorders also contain subspace communicators with ranges like those of personal communicators. Tricorders can send and receive data of all types from a starship computer or other distant source.

**Source**:

* Memory Alpha: Starfleet tricorder
* Star Trek TNG RPG - Star Trek TNG RPG Core book (page 235)
* thedemonapostle