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Holodecks are equipped with [[Holodeck safety protocol|safety protocols]] to prevent serious injury during their use, though these can be disengaged by the user when required. While active, a force field that is likely to cause a certain level of physical harm to a living humanoid collapses before making contact with them, allowing them to escape uninjured. When protocols have been deactivated holographic obstacles would have the same effect on a person as a real one that existed outside a holographic environment; holographic bullets or a steep drop could be fatal in such a scenario. ({{TNG|The Big Goodbye}}, {{film|8}}, {{VOY|Extreme Risk}}) How the security protocols are circumvented differs; in one instance, it required the voice authorization of two [[senior officer]]s ({{TNG|Descent}}), while in others the authorization of the individual such as the ship's captain, or the person who started the program was enough. ({{VOY|Extreme Risk}}) Safety protocols can also be unintentionaly disabled due to software errors or physical damage to the holodecks hardware system. The status of safety protocols are typicaly indicated by the computers audio warning. The use of a tricorder within the holodeck can be also be done to query the current safety protocol status.
  
Holodecks are equipped with [[Holodeck safety protocol|safety protocols]] to prevent serious injury during their use, though these can be disengaged by the user when required. While active, a force field that is likely to cause a certain level of physical harm to a living humanoid collapses before making contact with them, allowing them to escape uninjured. When protocols have been deactivated holographic obstacles would have the same effect on a person as a real one that existed outside a holographic environment; holographic bullets or a steep drop could be fatal in such a scenario. ({{TNG|The Big Goodbye}}, {{film|8}}, {{VOY|Extreme Risk}}) How the security protocols are circumvented differs; in one instance, it required the voice authorization of two [[senior officer]]s ({{TNG|Descent}}), while in others the authorization of the individual such as the ship's captain, or the person who started the program was enough. ({{VOY|Extreme Risk}}) Safety protocols can also be unintentionaly disabled due to software errors or physical damage to the holodecks hardware system. The status of safety protocols are typicaly indicated by the computers audio warning. The use of a tricorder within the holodeck can be also be done to query the current safety protocol status.
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[[File:End_program.jpg|thumb|A holodeck program in the purpose of shutting down.]]
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[[File:End_program.jpg|thumb|A holodeck program in the process of shutting down.]]
 
Holodecks employ [[spatial orientation system]]s to simulate parts of a holocharacter, such as left- or right-handedness. ({{TNG|Ship in a Bottle}})
  
Holodecks employ [[spatial orientation system]]s to simulate parts of a holocharacter, such as left- or right-handedness. ({{TNG|Ship in a Bottle}})
   

Revision as of 15:35, 28 May 2011

File:Holodeck empty.jpg

An inactive holodeck, pre-2371

File:Holodeck.jpg

The arch in an inactive holodeck, pre-2371

Voyager holodeck

An inactive Federation holodeck, post-2371

A holodeck is a form of holotechnology designed and used by Starfleet. They are installed aboard starships, space stations and at Starfleet institutions for entertainment and training purposes. A typical holodeck consists of a room equipped with a hologrid containing omnidirectional holographic diodes, enabling holographic projections through the manipulation of photons contained within force fields.

History

Xyrillian holodeck

A 22nd century Xyrillian holo-chamber

Prior to the late 24th century, Federation starships were not equipped with holodecks. (VOY: "Flashback") However, in 2151, the Starfleet spacecraft Enterprise NX-01 encountered a vessel belonging to an alien race known as Xyrillians, who had advanced holographic technology in the form of a holographic chamber similar to the holodeck, which Federation Starfleet would develop two centuries later. A holo-chamber was later installed aboard a Klingon battle cruiser, given to the Klingons by the Xyrillians in exchange for their lives. (ENT: "Unexpected")

In the 23rd century, Template:ShipClass starships were equipped with a recreation room, which employed holographic technology. The USS Enterprise had a recreation room located in Area 39 of the ship. (TAS: "The Practical Joker")

By 2364, the Federation Starfleet had begun installing holodecks aboard their vessels. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") During the 2360s and 2370s, a starship could have one or more holodecks depending on the vessel's size or purpose. For example, Template:ShipClass starships did not have a holodeck, while Template:ShipClass vessels had several. (TNG: "11001001", "Homeward") The two holodecks of Template:ShipClass starships were the only places other than sickbay where the EMH was able to exist (without a mobile emitter) after the crew modified his program so it wasn't as tightly integrated into the sickbay's systems. In Template:ShipClass starships, the EMH could move more around the ship freely because all decks were equipped with holoemitters. (VOY: "Message in a Bottle")

Purpose and design

A holodeck combines transporter technology with that of replicators, by generating actual matter, as well as projecting force fields to give the objects the illusion of substance. It can be controlled from an exterior control or the interior arch control. This arch can be summoned at any time to change the parameters of a running holoprogram. Matter and energy are interchangeable (TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data") as such objects created on the holodeck can be either matter or energy.

In the early 24th Century, matter replication was primarily used for objects and characters that would be in direct contact with the occupants which gave them an extreme sense of realism. Where water for example would feel like actual water because on some level, it was, and it could create experiences like odors. This also enabled simple matter to exist outside of the holodeck for brief periods of time (such as snow) before they would lose cohesion without the support of the holodeck grid and revert back to energy. This however used an extreme amount of power, and caused repetitive problems to occur in its safe usage. Some time in the mid 24th Century, this was slowly phased out in favour of simpler 'true' holographic technology by focusing on the photons contained within micro force fields method. This was not only safer and used less power, but had more varied usage and could be easily controlled with quicker reaction times. Some would argue this made it lose its appeal, but advances in the technology has made it as real as the matter replication method, which is still used for more complex, tactile objects, as well as food, odors etc.

Holodeck walls can generate holographic images that appear to extend for an unlimited distance, seemingly much larger than its own dimensions. In doing so, however, the holodeck is aware only of its users; it does not recognize its own created objects. For example, if a person were to throw a holographic rock at the holodeck's walls, the rock would not be allowed to pass beyond the wall (if it were of replicated matter) (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint"). It does this by continuously adjusting the projections of the force fields and the use of a force field "treadmill". With this, an individual approaching a wall causes an instant shift away. It can also manipulate light photons, 'lensing' them to make individuals appear further away if two persons were separated in a scenario. The holodeck can change gravity in three dimensions, so occupants don't notice the change, (Star Trek: The Next Generation Interactive Technical Manual) as observed during the stop of B'Elanna Torres' holographic orbital skydiving session. (VOY: "Extreme Risk")

Holodecks are equipped with safety protocols to prevent serious injury during their use, though these can be disengaged by the user when required. While active, a force field that is likely to cause a certain level of physical harm to a living humanoid collapses before making contact with them, allowing them to escape uninjured. When protocols have been deactivated holographic obstacles would have the same effect on a person as a real one that existed outside a holographic environment; holographic bullets or a steep drop could be fatal in such a scenario. (TNG: "The Big Goodbye", Star Trek: First Contact, VOY: "Extreme Risk") How the security protocols are circumvented differs; in one instance, it required the voice authorization of two senior officers (TNG: "Descent"), while in others the authorization of the individual such as the ship's captain, or the person who started the program was enough. (VOY: "Extreme Risk") Safety protocols can also be unintentionaly disabled due to software errors or physical damage to the holodecks hardware system. The status of safety protocols are typicaly indicated by the computers audio warning. The use of a tricorder within the holodeck can be also be done to query the current safety protocol status.

End program

A holodeck program in the process of shutting down.

Holodecks employ spatial orientation systems to simulate parts of a holocharacter, such as left- or right-handedness. (TNG: "Ship in a Bottle")

Holodeck characters have been known to include a program element designed to hide anachronisms to the program's time period, such as uniforms and communicators, and prevent them from raising the character's ire and curiosity.

Among the viewing modes on a holodeck is objective mode, in which the user doesn't interact with the characters, and subjective mode, in which the viewer can interact with the characters as well as alter his or her surroundings. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

Abilities and limitations

Holodeck matter can impersonate real matter at the molecular level. (VOY: "Phage") Molecule-sized magnetic bubbles replace molecules in full resolution holographic objects, which a computer can manipulate individually in three dimensions. However, the complexity of electron shell activity and atomic motions that determine biochemical activity in living creatures cannot be projected holographically. This prevents replicators from duplicating life and resurrecting the dead. Advances in computer technology may allow this, permitting a person to live forever in any chosen environment while interacting with real people and objects visiting the holodeck. The computer may use large magnetic bubbles to simulate surfaces and textures rather than create an object at the molecular level. However, objects created within the holodeck would not exist beyond the holodeck itself, as they only exist as energy. (TNG: "The Big Goodbye") Since holodeck technology can be used with replicator technology, there are some instances where real objects are replicated within the holodeck and are used to interact with the holographic program and/or users; since these objects are real material composed of matter, they can leave the holodeck fully intact.

A holodeck can modify the appearance of persons within it.

Holograms can be augmented with force beams to simulate solid, tangible objects or with replicator technology to create actual solid matter such as foodstuffs. All food eaten on the holodeck are replications. No other type of simulation would survive outside of the holodeck.

A holodeck also has the ability to create holodecks within holodecks, and holodeck programs are able to be saved to a cube that can be inserted into special devices with information to "last a lifetime". (TNG: "Ship in a Bottle")

The energy matrix of a holodeck is incompatible with other ship systems. (VOY: "Parallax")

Failure of a holodeck's matter conversion subsystem can cause the loss of solid objects within the holodeck environment. Materialization errors occurred in the USS Enterprise-D holodecks in 2370 following the ship's exposure to plasmonic energy in the atmosphere of the planet Boraal II. (TNG: "Homeward")

Even though holographically created characters, just like characters in a story book, are never self-aware and never know that they are not real, there have been a few rare instances in which that rule has not held true. During a Sherlock Holmes holodeck simulation in the late 2360s, Geordi La Forge and Doctor Katherine Pulaski argued that playing with Data was impossible and unfair to them as he had memorized all the Sherlock Holmes novels and could easily solve the cases. In order to level the playing field, Geordi requested that the holodeck create an opponent intelligent enough to defeat Data. Even though Geordi meant Holmes, his request had specifically noted Data. As a result, the holodeck created a self-aware holographic character of James Moriarty who was not only fully aware of his own consciousness, but who subsequently argued that he had a right to exist and leave the holodeck to pursue his life as he wished. Another holographic writer- known as 'Felix'- created the fully self-aware program of Vic Fontaine for the crew of Deep Space 9, Vic being completely aware of his holographic nature despite being a 1950s lounge singer, often offering the crew personal advice on relationship issues. (TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data", "Ship in a Bottle", DS9: "His Way", "Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang", "It's Only a Paper Moon")

Holoprograms

File:Enterprise, sailing brig, Generations.jpg

The brig Enterprise holoprogram

Starships with a holodeck normally had a vast list of holoprograms in their computer. Several notable programs aboard the USS Enterprise-D included:

Notable programs aboard the USS Enterprise-E included:

Notable programs aboard the USS Voyager included:

Notable programs aboard the USS Enterprise's recreation room included:

  • A beach setting allowing for swimming.
  • A woodland environment allowing for a nature walk.
  • An arctic wasteland.
  • An 18th century style hedge-maze. (TAS: "The Practical Joker")

Appendices

Background

File:Holodeck door, The Cloud.jpg

The exterior of an Intrepid-class holodeck, early 2371

For its first appearance on Star Trek: Voyager in "The Cloud", the exterior of the holodeck was the same set piece as had previously been seen on TNG, right down to the octagonal door frame, although all had been repainted to match the color scheme for the new Voyager corridors. It would not receive a square door arch and updated door panels until its second appearance.

There are many discrepancies between episodes pertaining to the abilities and limits of holodeck technology. For example, in "Encounter at Farpoint", the young Wesley Crusher remains wet with holodeck water, after exiting into the corridor. In "Elementary, Dear Data", a piece of paper given to Data by James Moriarty is able to be carried outside of the holodeck and into the hall, but upon Moriarty's return in "Ship in a Bottle", a book thrown outside of the holodeck instantly disappears.

Also, in "The Big Goodbye", Cyrus Redblock and Felix Leech disappear slowly after a few moments outside of the holodeck, although a lipstick smudge from a holographic character stays with Picard all the way onto the bridge. Although these inconsistencies can be partially explained by the difference in the types of objects leaving the holodeck, it still leaves quite a few questions about what exactly constitutes the differences. The Holodeck can use a degree of replication to make realistic objects for the holodeck occupant to use, so there is a possibility of the computer replicating a real piece of paper with the picture on, as it would be a relatively simple pattern.

Some may argue that another discrepancy is the need for holodeck users to change into the appropriate costumes before entering and leaving the holodeck, since the holodeck has the ability to change the appearance of its users (ENT: "These Are the Voyages..."). But this may just be an issue of taste, on the user's possible preference of replicated clothes versus holographic clothes.

See also

External links

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