Fashionware

While a cyborg is usually defined as anyone who has mechanical technology grafted into his body, the line is actually pretty nebulous (is your girlfriend a cyborg because she wears contact lenses? Is your grandmother a cyborg because she has a hearing aid and an artificial hip joint?). In this hazy zone of cybertech is fashionware - little hi-tech gadgets common to the Cyberpunk future.

Biomonitor: This is a favorite of Solos, gadget freaks, and harried Corporates worried about their blood pressure. Mounted just below the skin of the forearm, the Biomonitor gives a constant readout of pulse, respiration, brainwaves, blood sugar, temperature, and cholesterol levels. The display is a pattern of word shaped LEDs, each running a color sequence from red (critical) to green (excellent). As conditions change, the colors change. The user merely shoots back his cuff, looks for the little glowing word display he wants, and checks the color. In game terms, this adds +2 to any Resist Torture/Drugs check.

Skinwatch: The predecessor of the Biomonitor, the Skinwatch is implanted just below the epidermis, and uses tiny LEDs to project glowing numerals through the skin. Skinwatches can be mounted anywhere, although the hand, wrist and fingers are the most common. Advanced versions can be reset by pressing the display gently until the right number combinations come up; really advanced versions have alarms that beep quietly. Use your imagination.

Light Tattoos: These are light emitting chemical patches inserted under the first couple layers of skin. They store light and emit it in colors or patterns.

Shift-tacts: These are colored contact lenses, designed to mimic certain aspects of more expensive cyberoptics. Mirrored contacts in all tints, temperature or emotion sensitive contacts that change color on demand, logo or patterned contacts. These are available in most fashionable bodyware shops. Check it out.

ChemShins: These are special dyes and chemicals which are impregnated or rubbed into the skin. Some change the skin color to a new shade as desired. Others are temperature sensitive, and shift colors in vibrant patterns when warmed or cooled. Very expensive chemskins are sensitive to hormonal changes; you could buy a chemskin that would make yellow and black tiger stripes appear on your skin when you became angry or excited.

Synthskins: A more sophisticated version of light tattoo technology, a synthskin is a layer of color-shifting plastic bonded to the character's outer skin. A synthskin can be adjusted to display colors, patterns, light-flares or other special effects, using tuning chips (cost 100eb) which are plugged into a socket in the skin (usually under the hairline).

Techhair: The shafts of this artificial hair are impregnated with various types of reactive chemicals. Some types are temperature sensitive and change color or stand up depending on the weather. Others contain the same pigments used in light tattoos, storing and emitting colored light in patterns. Still others can change color as desired by using special chemical shampoos. Techhair can be implanted in mohawks, hair weaves, full hairpieces, manes, ruffs, whiskers and other less obvious (but interesting) places.