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[email protected]/Heroicverse
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Gulf of Alaska.
Kodiak Island.
PPDC Organization's testing ground.
Inside the colossal hangar, a gigantic headless Mecha, almost identical in appearance to the Female MUTO, was undergoing its final checks and tests before its full-machine practical operation.
Its mechanical head was also receiving corresponding inspections on the maintenance platform at the top of the hangar.
That's right, this Mecha was the 001 Female Muto Mecha, regarded as a "lifeline" by Commander Stacker Pentecost.
This testing ground was the first test Base prepared and constructed by Dr. Dr. Spah Szedifier, the chief project leader who first proposed the Jaeger Program, using ample funds after the PPDC Organization was officially approved.
It was used to construct Hunter Mechas, complete research and tests related to Hunter Mechas, and recruit and train the first batch of "Ranger" pilot trainees.
The tests for the Hunter Mecha can be broadly divided into three items:
Main Test Item One: Brain Bridge Link.
This project was personally led by Dr. Dr. Spah Szedifier, with Dr. Reed Richards and Tony Stark providing relevant technical support as Technical R&D Consultants.
The main test was to determine whether the pilot could utilize the system to control the entire Mecha with empathy and synchronization, as expected, when establishing a Floating Source Neural Link with the Hunter Mecha.
Under the improvements by Dr. Reed Richards and Tony Stark, pilots no longer needed to insert various data cables into their heads when performing human-machine interaction for the Brain Bridge Link.
By simply connecting the Spinal Clamp pre-embedded in the pilot's back, the artificial intelligence configured within the Hunter Mecha could synchronously read the pilot's brainwave data and replicate a "synchronized, empathetic" virtual brain consciousness within the Mecha system.
Then, the Intelligent Transmission Buffer (Rabit) would capture and link the pulse neural signals released by the pilot's brain in real-time.
However, to complete the above process, the pilot must also wear an "integrated circuit armored suit" with special sensors covering the inner layer and an outer layer made of high-density polycarbonate, which is lightweight, strong, and impact-resistant.
This way, after the Brain Bridge Link is completed, the sensors on the armored suit will instantly activate, and the commands and corresponding actions issued from the pilot's brain can be projected to the Hunter Mecha without deviation.
Undoubtedly, the rapid improvement and completion of the Brain Bridge Link technology were all thanks to the complete existing system established by Tony Stark when creating the Iron Man Suit.
It can be said to be a new breakthrough built on the shoulders of giants!
Presumably, when Stacker Pentecost considered the candidates for technical consultants, it was based on this consideration that he specifically chose Tony Stark, this "notorious" playboy?
And what is comforting is that.
In previous related experiments for Mecha limb testing, the selected pilot successfully activated the four limbs of the 001 Female Muto Mecha... The experimental results were quite perfect!!
Main Test Item Two: Drift System.
The Drift System is also known as the Neural Bridge System or the Dual-Pilot Synchronization System, and it is also the most tedious and complex of the three tests.
As the name suggests, it is a system auxiliary tool designed to allow two pilots to achieve a high degree of thought synchronization when operating a Hunter Mecha simultaneously.
This was a test specifically added by Stacker Pentecost and Dr. Dr. Spah Szedifier after officially adopting Dr. Reed Richards' suggestion to change the pilot from one to two simultaneous pilots.
To successfully develop the Drift System, Dr. Dr. Spah Szedifier, the project leader, specifically gathered numerous neuroscientists, including Dr. Reed Richards.
They worked overtime daily for two and a half months, solely to overcome the technical challenges.
But the results made everyone feel incredibly frustrated.
Because their experimental progress remained stagnant...
There was no way around it; neuroscience is still a relatively "young" scientific field.
Many of its conjectures and theories require a large number of experiments to verify.
It's not something that can be solved immediately by investing a lot of top scientists.
This requires a lot of time... and it's the kind measured in years.
But what the PPDC Organization lacks most right now is time!
Finally, Dr. Reed Richards heard from somewhere that the Hyperspace Group had already mastered similar related technology.
So he proposed to the high-level officials of the PPDC Organization to directly purchase the corresponding patent usage rights from the Hyperspace Group!
Initially, Stacker Pentecost refused upon hearing this news.
Because the PPDC Organization and the Hyperspace Group were in a stark competitive relationship.
If there wasn't the powerful competitor Ape God, they wouldn't have to rush their work like this.
Moreover, putting aside the high probability that the Hyperspace Group would directly refuse their request.
Just the fact that the world would know that the Hunter Mecha built by the PPDC Organization had to use the core technology of its competitor to function normally, wouldn't that make them a laughingstock?
But Stacker Pentecost only managed to be tough for a few days before the external situation became increasingly urgent, and he finally had no choice but to bow to reality.
Who made them the ones who couldn't afford to delay!
So the high-level officials of the PPDC Organization had no choice but to bite the bullet and proactively contact the Hyperspace Group.
But the outcome exceeded everyone's expectations.
The Hyperspace Group not only did not directly refuse or mock them due to their competitive relationship.
Instead, adhering to the principle of "harmony brings wealth, and customers are God," they warmly received the negotiators sent by the PPDC Organization and meticulously and patiently answered most questions that did not involve commercial secrets.
However, when they finally saw the long list of exorbitantly expensive patent licensing fees on the quote, as well as the equally astonishingly expensive ongoing maintenance costs.
The high-level officials of the PPDC Organization suddenly realized that there was indeed a reason why others could make money!
But the more generous the Hyperspace Group appeared, the more uncomfortable Stacker Pentecost felt.
Buying technology from a competitor, and then competing with that competitor...
Damn it, no matter how you look at it, it feels like the other party is profiting from both sides, isn't it?
What's the point of competing with them anymore!!
Stacker Pentecost suddenly felt so tired.
But what he didn't know was that building such a "neural bridging synchronization system" was something Karl, who possessed the mind stone, could solve in minutes.
No, it wasn't even a big deal!
Karl only needed to inject a portion of his mind power that could induce "empathy" into a special magical artifact, then disguise it as a core component and assemble it into the so-called "system hardware," and then he could naturally sell it to the PPDC Organization at a high price.
The key is that since this portion of mind power is a consumable, meaning it diminishes with each use.
So, if the PPDC Organization wanted to continue using it in the future, they would have to come back to him to renew and recharge.
What, you ask where those small magical artifacts came from?
Please, there are simply too many of these little trinkets in Kamar-Taj.
And later, as Karl successfully acquired the Reality Stone, he even saved on those small magical artifacts.
He directly used the Reality Stone to transform that portion of mind power into even smaller components, then installed them on the "system hardware," which was not only seamless but also completely zero-cost!!
And with this back and forth, Karl gained a huge profit without seemingly giving anything.
Isn't that infuriating?
Conversely, the PPDC Organization, from the development stage, directly fell into the big pit Karl had set up, indirectly becoming Karl's laborers to create profits!
But how could Karl tell them these secrets?
In any case, the problem the PPDC Organization encountered with the Drift System was finally successfully resolved.
But they would still face many other problems next.
Although the "synchronization" process looks simple, it is actually full of difficulties in practice.
First, this is a fusion technology similar to "mental interaction."
The two linked pilots, upon entering the "synchronized state," will share all sensations, emotions, and even memories without any concealment.
The purpose is to forcibly "fuse" two individuals into one for use.
This way, one person is responsible for the left brain, and the other for the right brain, allowing them to control the Hunter Mecha to complete a series of complex actions and commands under unified thought, unified action, and unified reaction.
This also requires the two selected pilots to have an extremely high Synchronization Rate to successfully complete this complex process.
To select the most compatible and most stable Synchronization Rate candidates from the many "Ranger" pilots, the PPDC Organization can be said to have gone to great lengths.
Ultimately, they successfully found three simple and quick screening methods.
The first type is people with blood relations: such as father and son, biological brothers, biological siblings, etc.
Experiments have shown that the closer the blood relationship, the higher the corresponding Synchronization Rate.
The second type is people with long-term tacit understanding: such as harmonious couples, childhood sweethearts, and intimate best friends.
The likes, dislikes, and temperaments of these people have all undergone long-term and stable integration, so they often show a very good Synchronization Rate.
The third type is people with strong willpower.
Theoretically, unless the first two types of people fail to qualify in the actual screening, the PPDC Organization will not actively choose the third type.
Because such partnerships are actually unstable and often accompanied by many unknown dangers.
Unless the two pilots simultaneously have an extremely strong "will" for a certain matter, and this "will" is sufficient to overcome differences in their personalities and disagreements in opinions, only then can they reach the standard for a qualified Synchronization Rate.
Otherwise, accidents are highly likely to occur during actual operation!
If all the above problems are perfectly resolved, then after the two pilots complete the synchronization of the Drift System, they will truly merge with the Hunter Mecha.
Dr. Reed Richards called this synchronized state "Uterine Space"!
This is a relatively abstract state.
The two pilots are like entering a mother's body, able to complete instantaneous interactions through thought without any verbal communication or eye contact.
For example, what kind of guard stance to adopt before battle, which fist to throw first during battle, and how to dodge enemy attacks, and so on.
Only at this point do the two pilots truly achieve the state of "becoming one."
However.
In later experimental tests, many problems still emerged.
Several common issues were particularly prominent.
One, initial thought desynchronization.
This refers to the moment the Drift System successfully activates, the brains of the two pilots must be in a completely blank state for the Intelligent Transmission Buffer to capture the corresponding brain pulse signals at the fastest speed and link with the Mecha body.
If during this period, one or both individuals' thoughts are in a state of confusion or high tension, then the corresponding brain pulse frequency will undergo drastic changes, leading to the transmission device being unable to complete the capture, causing synchronization failure.
Two, memory cage.
This is an upgraded version of "thought desynchronization" and has a very high incidence among the third type of candidate Rangers.
Due to the low level of tacit understanding between the two pilots, even after synchronization, one of them might suddenly fall into a deeply ingrained memory from the past and be unable to extricate themselves.
At this point, affected by the synchronized state, the other person, even if remaining conscious, will be passively drawn into that memory with the first person to a certain extent.
If the other person cannot be immediately awakened, the ultimate result is very likely that both will become vegetative due to being locked in a "memory cage"!
Three, privacy collapse.
This is also a very common drawback during the "synchronization" process.
Due to memory "sharing," much of the two pilots' privacy will be exposed to each other without reservation.
The resulting embarrassment is highly likely to cause information processing delays in brain pulse signals, leading to sluggish movement of the Hunter Mecha and insufficient body coordination, ultimately resulting in test failure.
Four, ghost synchronization.
This is less of a problem and more appropriately described as a side effect of using the Drift System.
When the synchronized state is disengaged, there is a certain probability that the two pilots will still experience the illusion that their brains are connected, leading to abnormal states of auditory and visual hallucinations.
To this day, many scientists, including Dr. Reed Richards, have been unable to effectively resolve the existence of this sequela.
However, fortunately, "ghost synchronization" does not cause synchronization failure, so the high-level officials of the PPDC Organization turn a blind eye to it and pretend it didn't happen!
...
A few days ago, through a series of rigorous and scientific tests, the PPDC Organization finally successfully screened out four qualified pilots from the first batch of Ranger trainees.
During the group tests, the brain neural activity of both pilot groups reached an extremely high Synchronization Rate.
This officially declared the success of the Drift System's link test!!
Finally, only the Main Test Item Three: the full-machine practical operation test of the 001 Female Muto Mecha, which was to be conducted today, remained.
"How much longer do we need to prepare?"
Stacker Pentecost stood in front of the huge glass window, looking at the colossal headless Mecha in the hangar, and asked with some apprehension.
"The preliminary preparations are complete, and the two pilots of the first team have already entered the cockpit and are ready..."
Dr. Dr. Spah Szedifier glanced at the time and said excitedly, "The full-machine test is expected to officially begin in 5 minutes!!"
"Very good."
Stacker Pentecost nodded, then turned around, his gaze slowly sweeping over the scientists in the room, finally frowning and asking:
"Where are Dr. Reed Richards and Tony Stark? As technical consultants for this project, aren't they going to attend this important test?!"