Darkwire cybernetics
Availability
Public [P] - This is the stock availability level, open to public sale and mostly unrestricted in its spread. Certain more high end pieces might have additional proprietary controls similar to how designer car and electronic companies like to maintain control of their product.
Military [M] - Military cybernetics is a wide term that encompasses cybernetics with offensive capabilities or other equipment specifically created for the military. It comes in both typical and cutting edge but tends towards to be more utilitarian and less ergonomic. Its supply is tightly controlled and monitored, post pieces are illegal to possess by civilians but a few jailbroken pieces may be available on the black market to someone with deep pockets.
Exclusive [E] - These are often one of a kind or severely limited in their spread, the sorts of things a rich corporate type might save for their family, or a custom toolstyle body part a specialist technician might build. While the exclusive stuff is often the sort of things the masses could only dream of is not a measure of quality, only a measure of availability.
Quality
Dumb steel (D) - these are the colloquial term for replacements which do not have, or have the bare minimum requirements to be called cybernetics. These may refer to a glass eye, a traditional pacemaker, or an inert aluminium artificial foot among other things.
Rudimentary (R) - these are cheap and are often used by street ripper docs in a pinch when nothing better is to hand. They are of poor quality and sometimes unreliable. They can often come with drawbacks like infection risk, heavy metal contamination or digital corruption.
Typical (T) - The most common form of cybernetic. They do what they say, their reliability and quality is variable depending on the price, the brand and whether the warranty has expired. They are good enough to replace whatever body part they are meant to and the pricier ones are a notable improvement over the organic originals.
Cutting edge (C) - These are very expensive and can be hard to come by. Often reserved for the higher echelons of the corporations. There is a trickle down effect that eventually the next generation of cutting edge will push older ones into the wider market, but this tech is good and highly sought after.
Experimental (Ex) - Beyond the cutting edge there is the bleeding edge of Experimental technology, untested, possibly unsafe, these items are rarely seen outside of tightly controlled developmental streams, after which, if they are successful, they might be the next cutting edge piece of ware.
Cyberware
Originally developed on Earth with its beginnings in the mid 20th century primarily spurred on by medical necessity. It naturally progressed to biomechanical augmentation. There was a surge in development and popularity as the moon was colonised and people realised the advantages of augmentation in the unforgiving early days of lunar colonisation. The moon is now the largest producer and user of cybernetics.
On earth the Russians and Central Americas also produce their own variants but they tend to be inferior quality but are often simpler and much more affordable to the average citizen than superior lunar imports. Russian technology in particular has a reputation for ruggedness albeit with poor reliability.
Brain implants:
Info-tech C/M - an on board data repository allowing the user to call up vast amounts of information as if they already knew it. They are typically specialised to small numbers of subjects at a time as studies have shown significant mental degradation in the patient if too much varied information is stored at once.
Endocrine-tech C/M - based on the functions of the medulla it allows modification of the user’s biological functions, accelerating or slowing metabolism, reducing body temperature for clandestine missions and other functions.
Other head implants
Neurosycronous connectivity port T/C/M - The Neuroport is almost ubiquitous in society with very few parents withholding this essential surgery from their children. It allows seemless human/computer interfaces. Cheaper models might struggle with data transfer and more expensive models might have high end wireless capability. Military versions are typically temporary upgrades to civilian models to allow interface with military infrastructure. They are typically downgraded once service ends.
Cybernetic eyes D/R/T/C/M - run the whole spectrum from a simple solid ball of glass or steel to advanced high magnification multi-spectral analytical tools with military heads up displays.
Olfactory T/C/M - The main difference between levels of these devices is sensitivity in parts per billion and also safety features that can help prevent further inhalation if noxious compounds are detected.
Aural implants D/R/T/C/M - the simpler cybernetics consist of eternally mounted microphones with amplifiers that are not actually technically implants. High end models are surgical replacements of the entire inner ear apparatus.
Aqua-gills T/C/M - variants of the models are separated by how efficiently they can extract oxygen from a liquid and the variety of liquids that they can extract oxygen from. Simple models simply extend the amount of time a person can hold their breath for a few minutes, more advanced ones can allow a person to be submerged indefinitely and perform taxing aerobic tasks.
Trunk implants:
Bio-monitor T/C - virtually replacing diagnostic medicine, these devices quickly alert users and medical providers to all manner of medical abnormalities. The quality relates to size, speed of reporting, range of diagnostics and sometimes emergency medication delivery. These devices are very often tied into health insurance plans.
Lung replacement T/C/M - Typical level cybernetics will replace the lungs with something largely equivalent to human lungs, perhaps with levels of filtration. Cutting edge will have various other filters, safety features, detoxification systems, osmotic cleansers and the like.
Heart replacement D/R/T/C/M - the original cybernetic, in use for over a century now with some very elderly still carrying round the very basic pump units that might have been installed in the 20th century. The most advanced systems interface with the whole circulatory system to vastly improve stamina of the recipient, very useful for military or athletic performance.
Various other organs mostly T/C - there are some exceptions to the T/C availability but there is little additional that most organs could offer the military so civilian cutting edge is usually enough. But on the other end most other organs are too complex for rudimentary replacement.
Limb implants
Limb replacement D/R/T/C/M - the most varied of all cybernetics and the most ubiquitous. Dumb steel might consist of a rubber foot on an aluminum shaft that is perfectly good to walk on but that is it. Rudimentary happens often, typically after removal due to illegal activity or industrial incidents in the very poor. Depending on your luck you might get a decent second hand hand off of the scrap heap but if your luck was good you wouldn’t be in this mess. Typical and above have options for in-built tools and strength augmentation. Cutting edge might have synthetic skin grafted over the top for aesthetics or even the recipient’s own lab grown skin for the truly extravagant. The military tends to eschew the appearance in favour of strength, durability and in many cases, firepower.
Forearm omni-tool T/C/M - The simplest of these look like wrist mounted tool but the thing that turns them into cyberware is the integration with the host body. This allows the user to manipulate them with muscular impulses or even neural control in more cutting edge models. Despite the name, the tools are usually quite specialised. A surgeon might have their favourite operating tools, a mechanic might have engine diagnostic equipment, a hacker might have an interface device etc.
Bioware
Bioware is based on the augmentation of natural biology, its development was fraught with ethical controversy while in its infancy but it has since become a recognised and more stable industry. The technology was spurred on by the fierce business rivalries looking for something new and also in part by a military arms race between the great powers. Whilst the more pragmatic Lunans sought to perfect a reliable and working technology, the Earthicans had more freedom to play and experiment and as such bioware began to spread.
Physical Bioware:
Muscular Enhancement T/C/M - nantes rebuild and reorganise muscle fibres to allow greater strength and endurance. Depending on the therapy this can be targeted to specific muscle groups or work on all muscles.
Skeleto-articular therapy T/C/M - ranges from bioware that accelerates bone healing in the case of injury to nano-technological replacement of bone mass with more durable materials such as metal or in the most recent developments proprietary high tensile polymers.
Nu-skin T/C - a system that quickly regenerates and reinvigorates skin, improving elasticity and taking years off of the recipient. Popular in beauty circles but also popular as a new body art form of moving tattoos using programmed bioware.
Neuropathic augmentation C/M - very expensive therapy that seeks to improve or replace the nerves of a recipient. This gives them faster reaction and response times with the best systems providing nearly 20 times the usual human nerve conduction speed. This does however put extreme strain on the musculature so most systems are limited to single digit factors of improvement.
Cellular bioware:
Healing factor therapy C/M - very new technology that accelerates wound healing, it is primarily used by the military or during temporary therapy in a hospital setting as the treatment is considered potentially dangerous as the wounds might not heal exactly as predicted.
Pain suppressor R/T/C/M - rudimentary pain suppressors are little more than advanced analgesics but more advanced pain suppressors act by quickly down regulating the pain receptors around the body if pain is detected. The only drawback is that other than cutting edge systems, they have a habit of slightly muting more enjoyable sensations as well.
Immunoprotectors R/T/C/M - Boosting a patient’s immune system, one of the more common biowares and one that has been widely distributed enough that there is now a good understanding of the systems, however an rudimentary bioware of this type is extremely unlikely to protect against more than a few specific pathogens and rarely provides permanent protection.
Specialist or Exclusive pieces
This section lists a few mods that are specialist pieces only made under a single brand name and a few examples of exclusive ware used by individuals in the populace.
The Lunar Root (E-C) - a highly specialist forearm omni-tool only available to the senior government executive board. This allows them to interface with any terminal on the moon and almost instantly upgrade it to give them high level encrypted access to any classified systems they might need to use. Once they remove the connection AI software will hunt down any trace of the interface and return the terminal to its original state.
Fur-baby (P-C) - Originally developed to grow realistic fur on artificial pets, the developers have now patented a fairly expensive but effective subdermal implant technique allowing the recipient to grow fur. A mod that is highly valued in the exotic community.
Dwight the butcher (E-T) - Dwight Douglas, a respected automechanic built himself this left arm from scratch, its defining component is a hook shaped plasma arc at one end used for cutting and welding metal. It is called the butcher because the arc was apparently made from a meat hook and it is known that he used it to cut his own arm off to enable installation.
Paranoia (P-C) - A device that can detect the tell tale radiation of video recording devices and alert the user that they are being recorded. It is not 100% effective against all camera types but is a gift to those who want to steal a little privacy in the heavily surveiled city.
Bone-Lace (P-C) - An infusion of nantes followed by a solution of ionic metals causes metal to fuse with the molecular structure of the hosts skeleton. Currently this is being developed as a treatment for bone disorders. The process is painful and dangerous and the treatment is still uncommon requiring close medical supervision to determine to long term success.