Pico-Jelly

A pre-Exodus technology, the Pico-Jelly is a combination material suspension and picorobotic compound produced and sold by the Lorath Matriarchy. As a programmable material the applications are limited only by the imagination of the user, and the limitations of the materials.

• Variable Form Trans-state Picorobotic Mass, nicknamed “Pico-Jelly”
• Designer: Doctor Miles Gunn
• Manufacturer: Lorath Matriarchy

The design which would eventually become Pico-Jelly was initially conceived as a medical tool intended to be used to seal wounds. The creation was partially inspired by the capabilities of other nano-robotic applications, particularly those with the ability to shift mass about and create desired shapes. The Pico-Jelly derives its name from its composition being a gel comprised of picoscopic robotic devices almost universally paired with a secondary material.

As the original use for Pico-Jelly was to serve as a medical tool capable of being used in a variety of situations dependent only upon the composition of the “jelly” and the creativity of the user. As a result of the variable form of the jelly, the substance proves to have a myriad of potential applications, from being used in its original role as a medical tool, to being used as a device for personal amusement.

Comprised of an immense number of picorobotic devices suspended in a mass of “jelly” that can be comprised of various substances “Pico-Jelly” is designed to somewhat mimic the functions of self-assembling and self-replicating machine colonies. Differing from other modular assembler applications, the specialization of Pico-Jelly lies in manipulating the material in which the picoscopic machines are suspended in. The variable form of the material is accomplished by moving individual molecules of the material through the use of “picobots” which configure the materials in the desired arrangement required to form the shape that the picobots are instructed to construct.

The design of the picobots features a dual reception system allowing for commands to be issued through either radio frequency or psionic means to issue commands. Each picobot features its own processing components distributing the processing needs throughout the “jelly” while also allowing for each picobot to work on an independent task in concert with the others to achieve the desired result as quickly and efficiently as possible. Due to the use of the jelly suspension the user has the option of unbonding the constructive molecules from the picobots and the suspension allowing for the created shape to become permanent. As the materials used in the pico-jelly are comprised varying upon the application, three general categories exist; these are metal, organics, and plastics.

The most complex variation of the jelly is the metallic version of the substance. This complexity is owed to the variable compositions of the jelly found within this category. This jelly type can be comprised of various molecules that can then be individually manipulated by the picorobotic devices. The jelly itself can be made from most metals that are solid at room temperature. To ensure the functionality and reliability of the metallic jelly, the molecules used in the suspension are degaussed before mixing into the suspension. The suspension for the metallic jelly into which the picobots and metallic molecules are suspended is comprised of a synthetic lubricant designed to ensure the smooth movement of the picobots, while also protecting the metals from corrosion and loss of individual metallic molecules. The lubricant is also designed to help with preventing foreign particles from contaminating the picojelly.

Second most complex is the organic variation of the jelly, however it is also the easiest to produce. The organic component to the jelly is comprised of widely available synthetically cultivated biological materials. The picobots then are able to move the individual organic molecules rearranging them into the proper form required to create simple imitation organic creations, while also serving as a convenient means of “patching” natural organic tissues.

The plastic jelly variation is the most simple of the types. It is comprised of picorobotic devices in a suspension of both solid and gel-like plastic materials. The plastic gels serve as the lubricant for the movement of the picobots and the solid plastic molecules while also serving as a bonding material when allowed to harden. This is accomplished by exposing the plastic to a 79 degree Celsius¹⁾ heat, then allowing the gel to cool. Once allowed to harden, the material is then unable to shift into other forms. The material can however, be “re-activated” by heating the hardened material to 121 degrees Celsius²⁾ then instructing the picobots to shift the liquid plastic molecules from the positions in which they have hardened, after which the gel is allowed to gradually cool returning the suspension to its initial state.

Control of the “Pico-Jelly” is achieved using radio or psionic commands. When using radio control, commands are sent via a command device to instruct the picobots to assume a pre-programmed shape, while psionic commands require a user to have a “clear mental picture” of the form that the user desires the picobots to construct. The “Pico-Jelly” may also be programmed to only be able to achieve certain pre-determined shapes.

As a result of the versatile nature of the “Pico-Jelly” there exists a wide range of packaging and marketing options. In an effort to prevent over-saturation of the market with large quantities of “Pico-Jelly” it is typically sold in “eggs” or “capsules” containing 60ml³⁾ of jelly. Should it be desired, the “Pico-Jelly” can also be bought in larger quantities, such as 150ml⁴⁾, 300ml⁵⁾, 900ml⁶⁾, and 2l⁷⁾ units. For the purposes of storage or larger applications, different quantities of the same compositional variety of “Pico-Jelly” can be joined together to form a larger mass.

Sold separately from the “Pico-Jelly” is the control device package. The control device in its basic issue, is able to control one unit of “Pico-Jelly” and is able to issue a total of five pre-programmed commands. A more expensive option is a multi-frequency, deluxe control device which allows for multiple “Pico-Jelly” units to operate with each other, and is capable of issuing up to 100 distinctive pre-programmed instructions to devices as well as issue pre-programmed command routines. In addition the deluxe model includes voice recognition software which permits vocal commands to the unit.

Distinct from the generic varieties is a medical issue device which is vocal command and multi-frequency capable, and is able to command the “Pico-Jelly” at the user's discretion, while also allowing for the execution of up to 15 pre-programmed instructions. Additionally the instructions issued from Medical Issue Devices can not be overridden by other devices.

Pricing will be filled out as soon as Lorath value of a local currency is determined.

Original article written by doctomoe, present version written by Eistheid