Share
Smartex
Simply put, Smartex is 'smart' latex rubber. With the perfection of computronium, nano-flywheel power storage, protein/synthetic muscle creation and other related bioware and industrial technologies, Smartex can become a natural extension of the body. Solid blocks of Smartex can be used to mimic shape, enhance muscle strength, change color, texture and even move on it's own by various means. Some variants of Smartex can even cause itself to change it's structure, from harder, dense rubber, to soft, pliable foam rubber.

By combining the flexibility of latex, the strength of nano-perfected and toughened carbon construction, the biomechanical properties of muscle, chromatophores, and the processing power of a computronium weave throughout the material, it is mutable into many shapes, and can even be made into self-aware Vec bodies.

Smartex is often developed into clothing and toys as well as finding great acceptance in the medical and mechanical trades. Children can have a ball that allows them to play catch with themselves, or have toy dolls that shape shift as desired and animate themselves without moving parts. Smartex muscle replacements work exactly like, if not better than, regular biont muscle. Smartex has found a place for itself in nearly all types of mechanical construction and design.

As a strength assist, it is excellent for utilitarian use. It can be made into strong, reflective, and flexible body armor capable of bouncing low powered lasers, and stopping some high-powered kinetic kill rounds. Suits of the material can be pre-engineered to create extra limbs or pseudopods or larger grip surfaces with pneumatic or hydraulic inflation, to hold items with ease. Smartex also takes full advantage of OSFA (One Size Fits All) technology in regards to clothing, including its "self-tailoring" functions. In some societies, it becomes the only set of clothing one ever needs.

Smartex is sometimes used as a quick substitute for some applications of nanite technology or Utility Fogs in societies that are uncomfortable with these technologies, as well as becoming a staple material in Erotogeni society.
 
Related Articles
 
Appears in Topics
Drytech/HylotechEverydaytechHigh Tech / Hitech
Materials Technology
 
Development Notes
Text by Michael Boncher
Initially published on 23 October 2004.

 
 
>