Braincase

The braincase is the housing of the brain - the cranium. A collection of a few bones that nearly seal off the entire brain, save for the spinal column. In root strain and alpha strain humans, however, it still possesses a few weaknesses, and both the alpha superior and beta strain projects developed a solution that was felt could offer a person maximum survivability in the case of catastrophe.

It has a special significance when referring to engineered minds, such as androids, homo excelsiors, and mature homo superiors. Typically massing around five kilograms, it exists completely independently of the rest of the body - even in the case of alpha superior, once fully matured. It tends to be slightly larger than a root strain cranium, though this difference is well hidden. In this case, the braincase not only refers to the obviously different cranium design, but the support and interface systems that it represents as well.

Design and Enhancements

Looked at on its own, the most notable feature of the braincase is the metallic 'construction' - mostly a non-magnetic steel alloy, with lead, gold, silver, titanium and other metals used in other places. Several 'blemishes' do stand out, however.

• In the bottom of the front, roughly where the eye-sockets would be placed, are four connectors, two for the eyes and two for the nose and tongue.
• Two connectors can be seen on either side, one for the ear, the other for a jack, which allows for a direct data connection to the brain.
• At the bottom rear, where the cranium attaches to the spine, is a complex socket for just that purpose.
• A similar socket setup exists to place the maxilla-zygomatic 'face' onto the braincase, as well as the mandible.
• Two pairs of raised strips that act as radio antennas and transmitters.
• A pair of closable slots, in the back of the case, in which optical discs may be inserted.
• Several strips and other streamlined features can be seen, which provide chemical and electromagnetic analysis of surroundings. This, combined with basic sound and magnetic flux sensing, mean that the senses of an enhanced human body are triple-redundant.

Both socket systems are capable of supplying nutrients and draining waste from the braincase. In addition, the bottom of the structure contains a small deuterium fusion reactor, allowing the brain to function completely independantly. This reactor is exceedingly weak - the maximum draw is typically less than 200 watts, and usually about a tenth of that value.

The brain structure is supplemented by a pair of encephalons - supplemental computer processors for the brain. These perform most of the basic processing and interface work, leaving more of the neural network to focus on tasks more suited to such. It is most pronounced in android models, while very basic in homo superior.

Consequences

One unintended result of the fully-independant feature is the design of ships that are piloted not by a human body, but merely the braincase itself, saving on mass and allowing for far more drastic maneuvering in space.