Template:Sidebar character Doctor Richard Daystrom was one of the most influential Human scientists of the 23rd century. Daystrom, who was born in 2219, was considered a genius in his day, and was compared to such minds as Albert Einstein, Kazanga and Sitar of Vulcan.
In 2243, at 24, Daystrom made the duotronic breakthrough that won him the Nobel and Zee-Magnees Prizes. However, he felt underappreciated by his peers and successors, and resented them for developing improvements based on his work, while he was in essence left behind.
In response, he devoted his full vigor to the development of the multitronic computer system to create a successful artificial intelligence. This culminated in the M-5, a computer system sophisticated enough to smoothly control a starship by itself, possibly precluding the need for organic crews.
In 2268, during the test run with the system on the USS Enterprise, the M-5 started displaying erratic and violent behavior. This included seizing control of nonessential systems, attacking the freighter, Woden, without provocation, reacting to war games with other starships with full strength attacks, jeopardizing 1,600 lives, and resisting efforts to be disconnected.
It was revealed that Daystrom's programming of the system used his own personality engrams as a model for the computer's personality, which included his psychological problems. Unfortunately, Daystrom was mentally unstable and had a nervous breakdown aboard the Enterprise that required him to be subdued, while M-5 was convinced that the deaths it caused required it to commit suicide. Dr. Daystrom was committed to a mental rehabilitation facility in 2268 after the incident. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")
None of this appeared to have much impact on the esteem granted Daystrom and his work. The Daystrom Institute, one of the most prominent Federation research centers, was named after him, as was the Daystrom Award. (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man")
A biography and photo of him was present in the USS Enterprise's library computer. (TNG: "The Big Goodbye")
Background
Richard Daystrom was played by William Marshall.
In an early draft of "Booby Trap", the original name for Leah Brahms was to be "Leah Daystrom," who was to be the great-great-granddaughter of Dr. Daystrom. However, after Susan Gibney was cast for the part, it was realized that she was not African-American. Her last name was changed to Brahms, but the Daystrom link was retained by referring to her affiliation with the Daystrom Institute. [1]
The "Who's Who in Star Trek 1" from DC Comics puts his birthplace as Goteburg, Sweden.
External link
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