franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

4.2 PERSONAL ACCESS DISPLAY DEVICE (PADD)4.2 PERSONAL ACCESS DISPLAY DEVICE (PADD)In its primary role aboard a starship, the personal accessdisplay device (PADD) is a handheld control and displayterminal. Small, easily managed terminals and computers arein daily use throughout Starfleet, as a natural response tocrew members' needs to (1) execute hardware functions in avariety of locations, and (2) manipulate visual information andcommunicate that information to others aboard ship. Accessto the Enterprise computers and other pieces of equipmentcan be accomplished through the usual control displays andlarger terminal screens, of course, but the PADD has becomea convenient adjunct to those panels.The standard small PADD is 10 x 15 x 1 cm and isconstructed from three basic layers of imbedded circuitcompositematerial. All primary electronics, including multilayerdisplay screen, are bonded to the casing, a boronitewhisker epoxy. If dropped accidentally, even from a height of35 m, a PADD will remain undamaged. Replaceable componentsare limited to three, the sarium power loop, isolinearmemory chip, and subspace transceiver assembly (STA).In normal daily use, the power supply remains installedand is induction recharged. A full charge will last sixteenhours; if a PADD is about to exhaust its battery, it can set amemory flag in the main computer to transfer tasks to aworking unit, or suspend them until a later time. The totalmemory capacity of the isolinear chips is 4.3 kiloquads. Likethe tricorder, the PADD can transfer its total memory to themain computers in less than one second if the need arises.The STA is used to maintain data channels between thePADD and the Enterprise computers. If taken on an awaymission, the PADD can also perform uplink/downlink operationsand function as a transporter lock-on node. Datatransmissions and computing functions can be shared withany other Starfleet device supporting the STA com protocols.As with the personal communicator, transmissions are encryptedfor security purposes.The display screen, 4.25 times larger than that of atricorder, allows for the manipulation of control graphics,numerical data, and images by touch. Electrosensitive areasof the casing (colored brown on the standard engineeringPADD) are designed for specific data movement and storagefunctions. They can also be used to personalize the defaultsetup and single-crew member security restriction. An audiopickup sensor permits voice input.The PADD's control functions mimic those of any multilayerpanel, insofar as the security restrictions for individualcrew members are concerned. Properly configured with theConn position bridge controls, a crew member can theoreticallyfly the Enterprise from a PADD while walking down acorridor. While this would be an impractical exercise due to4.2.1 Personal Access Display Device (PADD)