Post Modern (A Setting for Mutants and Masterminds)

Technology in Post Modern

Doc has advanced technology in several fields and has ushered in the start of a new green age. The proprietary grid system revolutionized the car industry by eliminating the need for fossil fuels. The cars, trucks, and trains of Post Modern draw power through ground contact and as long as they are connected to the Grid, they can drive forever. Coupled with advances in autonomous driver technology and other safety advances, the Americas boast one of the most efficient transit networks in the world. (For those of you that want to go off roading, don’t worry, the solar batteries in most cars have enough juice to go approximately 1,000 miles before needing a recharge).

The Detroit metroplex churns out cars, trucks and other vehicles at astonishing rates. The most amazing fact about the production lines is that they are 100% human operated, with robotic assistance to help with the assembly, but the lines themselves require human input at every level. “People need to work” was the official line from Doc when it was asked about why it didn’t use automation for the entire process.

Also featured at the Detroit metroplex are assembly facilities for dozens of cybernetic components and full scale android and robot lines. The artificially constructed units produced at Detroit fill a host of functions, from home health care for the elderly and disabled to executive assistants for some of the richest and most powerful people in the world. Two stand out as important to most folks. The DocBot series of personal security androids can be found virtually everywhere, and most police forces maintain at least a couple of them to help deal with super-powered threats.

The Whispering Wind series of Androids serve a completely different function. After a formal protest at continued telepathic communication, Doc created an android line that would serve it as a mouthpiece for communicating with world leaders. After they were each delivered, along with the explanation, Doc has ceased making direct telepathic communication with the world at large and lets the Whispers speak for him. Each one contains a sophisticated psionic matrix capable of holding a shard of Doc’s consciousness. They are one of the most recognized avatars that Doc uses to communicate with the world.

Military technology has taken a dramatic step forward with improvements in other areas. Energy weapons are extremely common on the Post Modern battlefield, and advances have opened up powered armor and other advanced weapon systems for use by soldiers on all sides. Advanced computers have made drones far more efficient and the US has especially started to integrate super powered soldiers with powered armor teams supported by drone units in the field. The force multiplication effect of all these advanced technologies is staggering.

Consumer goods are an interesting market for most. 3D printing technology has became a massive trend and advances have given the 3D printer a commanding lead in the market. With the ability to construct food, sophisticated electronics, and a host of other necessary consumer goods, the 3D printer has virtually killed the online marketplaces that seemed poised to take over. Why purchase a good and have it shipped over land when you can simply download the pattern and build it in your garage?

There is a bleeding edge technology trend involving pushing the boundaries of 3D printing even further, and the super powered scientists of the Collective are working on advances in 3D printing, creating an immersive virtual and augmented reality to enhance the lives of everyday citizens. The net has blossomed as Doc’s computer system have given unimaginable bandwidth and freedom to everyday creators. It imposes a strict neutrality on net access, ensuring that everyone can utilize the internet.

Environmentalism has been a key area of Doc’s interest and it has devoted vast amounts of time and personal resources to combating the damage humans have done to earth. The oceans have been dramatically restored, with fish and marine mammal populations soaring for the first time in decades. Urban forestry has become a trend in major cities with dozens of blocks of real estate turned back over to woodlands. Carbon extraction has became an amazing technology that is turning off the greenhouse effect, and the planet is healthier than it has been in centuries.

Medical technology is the final area that Doc has made a dramatic impact. Gene therapy and other science fictions have become science fact, and they have virtually eliminated cancers, genetic abnormalities, and other chronic conditions including diabetes, lupus, and a host of other illnesses. Most procedures can be completed in an afternoon, and even organ replacements have become same day procedures. The ability to grow organs as needed has made the need for donations a thing of the past.