Process Of Illumination

Background
In 2160 Pratt Groom, a leading Neurobiologist, along side Professor Ernest Ovinko helped pioneer the technology to record thoughts and memories from brainwave patterns. Their developments became the foundation for Intuitive Neural Simulators (INS). However INS systems essentially read or downloaded copies of information from the mind. The now 80 year old Groom wanted to go further.

Groom set out to capture the very essence of a person. He wanted the ability to escape flesh and bone and achieve immortality. To this end Groom partnered with Artificial Intelligence expert Emory Toffton. After 17 years of development Groom and Toffton introduce ”Illumination”, a process to translate and store human consciousness as living data.

Illumination was not simply making a copy, it was a complete mapping and deconstruction of the conscious and unconscious mind of an individual. Every aspect of the person is processed and transferred into a data construct specifically designed as an exact parallel of the subjects neuro pathways. Every memory, every emotion, every sight and sensation is reconstructed in an artificial duplicate of the persons brain.

Once transferred the subject is fully aware, and has all their memories. They are able to interact via a holographic avatar and use various sensory inputs embedded in the system to give them the ability to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. Toffton’s incredibly elaborate construct even translates the system diagnostics data into the equivalent information that the brain would have received from involuntary processes such as respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

The technology raises many moral and philosophical questions pertaining to the consequences of immortality, and even what it is to be classified as human. This does not deter 97 year old Groom in the least as he becomes the first subject. The process takes months to complete and is one directional as prolonged exposure to the scanning probe irreversibly damages brain tissue. The transfer is a complete success. On April 10th 2212, Groom awakens from what he describes as, “the worst nap I’ve ever taken”.