Holodeck
Encyclopedia
A holodeck, in the fictional
Star Trek
universe, is a simulated reality
facility located on starship
s and starbase
s. The first use of a "holodeck" by that name in the Star Trek universe was in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
, "Encounter at Farpoint", although a conceptually similar "recreation room" appeared in an episode of Star Trek: the Animated Series.
In the timeline of the fictional universe, the concept of a holodeck was first shown to humans in an encounter with the Xyrillan race in the Star Trek: Enterprise
episode "Unexpected".
matter
, replicated
matter
, tractor beam
s, and shaped force field
s onto which holographic
images are projected. Sound
s and smells
are simulated by speakers and fragranced fluid atomizers
, respectively. The feel of a large environment is simulated by suspending the participants on force fields which move with their feet, keeping them from reaching the walls of the room (a virtual treadmill
).
Most holodeck programs shown in the episodes run in first person "subjective mode", in which the user actively interacts with the program and its characters. The user may also employ third-person "objective mode", in which he or she is "apart" from the actual running of the program and does not interact with it (all of the program's characters will ignore the user as if they were not there—this was shown in the Enterprise episode "These Are the Voyages...").
Matter created on the holodeck ("holomatter") requires the holoemitters to remain stable and will quickly disintegrate if it is removed from the holodeck without a mobile emitter
to sustain it, although this principle has been overlooked in some episodes. Writer Phil Farrand
has often pointed out how in many episodes matter from the holodeck that gets on a real person still exists when the real person exits the holodeck. In "Encounter at Farpoint", Wesley Crusher
falls into a holodeck stream, but is still wet after exiting the holodeck. In "The Big Goodbye", Picard has lipstick on his cheek after encountering a holodeck simulation of a 20th-century woman. In "Elementary, Dear Data", Data
and Geordi La Forge
exit the holodeck with a piece of paper that originated in the holodeck. This could be explained using replicated rather than holographic matter.
In most episodes, the holodeck is controlled by voice commands, though physical controls have been shown in a few episodes. They also include safety protocols to protect the users.
Some users may develop an addiction to the holodeck (a condition known as "holodiction"), leading to them spending unhealthy amounts of time there and personifying artificial characters. This was demonstrated by the Starfleet human character Reginald Barclay
in the Voyager episode "Pathfinder" and The Next Generation episode "Hollow Pursuits".
Although the holodeck was described in the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation
as being fairly new technology, in the episode "Once Upon A Time
" Captain Janeway and Harry Kim mention having used a holodeck as children.
of a crime scene for law enforcement purposes, or for scientific experimentation. In general, the holodeck "functions as a cultural repository of narrative possibilities that would normally be excluded from the ship's own sociohistorical moment" and "allows the Enterprise community to include even that which it excludes by containing the excluded within a proper, controlled place which in no way intrudes upon the everyday space of the ship."
The Emergency Medical Hologram
on ships such as USS Voyager
applies holodeck technology to present a single "character" within the otherwise natural environment of the ship's sick bay
.
An example of the holodeck's recreational functions are the holosuites that are owned and rented out – often for sexual
purposes – by Quark
on Deep Space Nine
.
Writing stories and plotlines for the holodeck is an activity pursued by people known as holonovelists. It was the chosen profession of Lt. Tom Paris
of the USS Voyager
, and he pursued it when the ship finally returned from the Delta Quadrant in the show's finale.
The Holosuites and holodecks utilize two major subsystems: the holographic image and the conversion of matter. The holographic imaging system creates realistic environments and landscapes. The conversion system of matter creates physical objects from the central supply of raw materials from the ship. Under normal conditions, a participant in a holographic simulation should not be able to distinguish an object from a simulated real one.
The holodeck also generates impressive recreations of humanoid and other forms of life by means of precisely-shaped force fields covered by holographic imagery, with the effect that they seem solid to the touch. They are made to move by use of tractor beams, resulting in highly articulated and computer-controlled "puppets" which are exceptionally realistic, showing nearly equal behavior to that exhibited by living beings, depending, of course, on the limits of the software involved. However, the replication-based material transport system is obviously unable to reproduce a living being.
Solid, inanimate objects on the holodeck--items such as a book, a rock, or an apple-- are composed of matter arranged by the replication system and, when deemed appropriate by the computer system, can be interacted with or even consumed. Objects created by replication of matter are physically real and can indeed be removed from the holodeck, noting only that they will no longer be under the control of the computer once removed from the simulation. However, objects created on the holodeck that are purely images can not be removed from the simulated environment, even if they seem to have a physical reality due to the force fields. In order for a given item to be removed from the environment of the holodeck, a person would need to be holding the object as he/she leaves.
The basic mechanism behind the holodeck is the omnidirectional holo-diode (HDO or OHD, its acronym in English). The HDO comprises two types of micro-miniature devices that project a variety of special force field. The density of HDOS in a holographic surface is 400 per square centimeter, fed by an outlet eletroplasma medium power. Entire walls are covered with HDOS, manufactured in an inexpensive process of printing circuits on a roll.
A typical surface holodeck includes twelve sub-layers processed a total of 3.5 mm, fused to a thermal-structural light panel, which on average is 3.04 cm thick. The primary materials include sub-processor/emitter of superconducting material. Each individual HDO measures 0.01 mm. The mechanism of digital optical network, by which an HDOS receive impulses, is similar to that which feeds smaller display panels, although the walls are divided into major sections, and easier to control with greater speed, each with 0.61 m². Sub-sections which are dedicated to the main computer can control such "monitors" which are the size of rooms.
Besides the ability to project stereoscopic color images, HDOS manipulate the force fields in three dimensions to allow visitors to "feel" objects that are not really there. This tactile stimulus provides the appropriate response one would expect from a rock on the ground or a tree growing in a forest. The only factors limiting the number and types of object are given by the computer memory and time to retrieve or calculate the beginning the pattern of an object, either real or imaginary.
The version of "optics" of a HDO sends a complete picture of the environment or landscape, based on their location relative to the full panel. The visitor, however, sees only a small portion of each HDOS, almost like a fly's eye operating in reverse. When the visitor moves the visible portions of HDOS change, changing the perspective. In reality, the energy emitted is not a visible electromagnetic emission, but is actually polarized patterns of interference. The image is reconstructed where the patterns intersect the lens of the eye or any visual receiver.
The first episode featuring a holodeck was "The Practical Joker", an animated episode
in which it was called a "recreation room". Due to interference with the ship's computers, several crew members were trapped in it.
There were several incidents of crew being trapped or injured by holodeck malfunctions in later episodes. One resulted in the shooting of the ship's historian on board Enterprise
. In the episode "A Fistful of Datas", Lt. Worf
, his son Alexander, and Counselor Troi
were trapped in a 19th century American West
adventure with the safety protocols disabled when a computer experiment involving Lt. Cmdr. Data
went awry. Worf received a minor gunshot wound when the computer began remaking all the characters as replicas of Data. However he was able to safely play out the story, and once the story ended the trio was able to leave the holodeck. Jean-Luc Picard
experiences an upgraded holodeck in "The Big Goodbye", in which he portrays the detective Dixon Hill, a boyhood hero of the captain's. This episode establishes the power and function of the holodeck. A malfunction leads to Data, Jean-Luc, and Beverly Crusher
being trapped on the holodeck. Picard portrayed the character again in Star Trek: First Contact
.
The disabling of a holodeck's safety protocols was used as a tactical advantage in Star Trek: First Contact
, when under attack from the Borg
, Jean-Luc Picard
disables the security protocols and grabs a holographic tommy gun
, shooting and killing two Borg drones.
The holodeck was used as a plot device
to explore metaphysical
questions, in such episodes as "Elementary, Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle", in which a holodeck character becomes self-aware and contemplates the nature of his identity and continued existence.. In Michio Kaku's TV series Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible, he discussed the Holodeck in an episode entitled Hollodeck.
In Star Trek: Voyager the holodeck was used extensively because (1) a crew isolated from their homes required more frequent diversion, (2) the holographic Doctor could, in the early seasons, be located only in the Sick Bay or one of the holodecks, (3) one of the main characters, Tom Paris, was by nature and calling a writer (holonovelist) -- he only joined Star Fleet because his father, Admiral Paris, forced him to.
Significant/Innovative uses of the holodeck in Star Trek Voyager include:
The existence of alien "Photonic Lifeforms" who interact with the "Organics" on board Voyager primarily through the holodecks:
Episodes: "Heroes and Demons" (in which the Doctor goes on his first "away mission") and "Shattered" (in which the "Captain Proton" villain "Chaotica" wages war on a species of sentient photonic explorers).
The introduction of children's holonovels (enjoyed by Naomi Wildman)
Episode: "Once Upon a Time" (introducing the character "Flotter")
The long-term use of holodeck locations as gathering places for all crew members:
Chez Sandrine (French bar/pool hall frequented by Tom Paris as a Star Fleet cadet)
Talaxian Beach Club (frequented by Neelix, then populated with humans by Harry Kim and Tom Paris)
Fair Haven (Irish town designed by Tom Paris)
The episode "Worst Case Scenario" in which a holographic training program designed by Security Officer Tuvok is found and mistaken for an edgy holonovel in which the former-Maquis members of the crew conspire to mutiny -- which then becomes extremely popular among the entertainment-deprived crew.
Captain Janeway gives holo-technology to the hunter-race the Hirogen after they take over Voyager for an extended period of time (Episdoes: "The Killing Game" parts 1 and 2) and use the ship's holodecks (safety protocols off) to hunt down the members of the Voyager crew in (what they consider) intriguing holographic environments. Episode "Flesh and Blood" reveals that the Hirogen's improvements (designed to create more challenging holographic prey) have essentially created a new race of photonic beings who (since they have only been hunted and killed repeatedly during their existences) are understandably unfriendly towards organic people.
In Episode "Nothing Human" a holographic version of a real-life war criminal (whose unethical research helps save a crew-member's life) is held responsible for the crimes of the Cardassian he was modeled upon.
A holonovel "Photons Be Free" authored by the Doctor (Episode: "Author, Author") raises the issue of whether the holographic Doctor is a person and has any legal rights, and ends showing dozens of copies of the Doctor mining dilithium by hand for the federation, essentially as slaves.
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
universe, is a simulated reality
Simulated reality
Simulated reality is the proposition that reality could be simulated—perhaps by computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not be fully aware that they are living inside a simulation....
facility located on starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s and starbase
Starbase
A starbase is a facility, often in space, used in science fiction works such as Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Firefly. Typically they act as drydocks, battle stations or trading outposts.- Star Trek :...
s. The first use of a "holodeck" by that name in the Star Trek universe was in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, "Encounter at Farpoint", although a conceptually similar "recreation room" appeared in an episode of Star Trek: the Animated Series.
In the timeline of the fictional universe, the concept of a holodeck was first shown to humans in an encounter with the Xyrillan race in the Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
episode "Unexpected".
Features
The holodeck is depicted as an enclosed room in which objects and people are simulated by a combination of transportedTransporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
, replicated
Replicator (Star Trek)
In Star Trek a replicator is a machine capable of creating objects. Replicators were originally seen used to synthesize meals on demand, but in later series they took on many other uses.-Origins and limitations:...
matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
, tractor beam
Tractor beam
A tractor beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. Since the 1990s, technology and research has labored to make it a reality, mostly at microscopic level. Less commonly, a similar beam that repels is called a pressor beam or repulsor beam...
s, and shaped force field
Force field
A force field, sometimes known as an energy shield, force shield, or deflector shield is a concept of a field tightly bounded and of significant magnitude so that objects affected by the particular force relating to the field are unable to pass through the central axis of the field and reach the...
s onto which holographic
Holography
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the object is no longer present...
images are projected. Sound
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
s and smells
Odor
An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
are simulated by speakers and fragranced fluid atomizers
Atomic spectroscopy
Atomic spectroscopy is the determination of elemental composition by its electromagnetic or mass spectrum. Atomic spectroscopy is closely related to other forms of spectroscopy. It can be divided by atomization source or by the type of spectroscopy used. In the latter case, the main division is...
, respectively. The feel of a large environment is simulated by suspending the participants on force fields which move with their feet, keeping them from reaching the walls of the room (a virtual treadmill
Treadmill
A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain...
).
Most holodeck programs shown in the episodes run in first person "subjective mode", in which the user actively interacts with the program and its characters. The user may also employ third-person "objective mode", in which he or she is "apart" from the actual running of the program and does not interact with it (all of the program's characters will ignore the user as if they were not there—this was shown in the Enterprise episode "These Are the Voyages...").
Matter created on the holodeck ("holomatter") requires the holoemitters to remain stable and will quickly disintegrate if it is removed from the holodeck without a mobile emitter
Doctor (Star Trek)
The Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram Mark I , is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Voyager, played by actor Robert Picardo...
to sustain it, although this principle has been overlooked in some episodes. Writer Phil Farrand
Phil Farrand
Phil Farrand is an American computer programmer and consultant, webmaster and author. He is known for his Nitpicker's Guides, in which he nitpicks plot holes and continuity errors in the various Star Trek television programs and movies, and for the creation of Nitcentral, a website devoted to the...
has often pointed out how in many episodes matter from the holodeck that gets on a real person still exists when the real person exits the holodeck. In "Encounter at Farpoint", Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
falls into a holodeck stream, but is still wet after exiting the holodeck. In "The Big Goodbye", Picard has lipstick on his cheek after encountering a holodeck simulation of a 20th-century woman. In "Elementary, Dear Data", Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
and Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
exit the holodeck with a piece of paper that originated in the holodeck. This could be explained using replicated rather than holographic matter.
In most episodes, the holodeck is controlled by voice commands, though physical controls have been shown in a few episodes. They also include safety protocols to protect the users.
Some users may develop an addiction to the holodeck (a condition known as "holodiction"), leading to them spending unhealthy amounts of time there and personifying artificial characters. This was demonstrated by the Starfleet human character Reginald Barclay
Reginald Barclay
Lieutenant Reginald Endicott "Broccoli" Barclay III, played by Dwight Schultz, is a recurring character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation...
in the Voyager episode "Pathfinder" and The Next Generation episode "Hollow Pursuits".
Although the holodeck was described in the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
as being fairly new technology, in the episode "Once Upon A Time
Once Upon a Time (Star Trek: Voyager)
"Once Upon a Time" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the fifth episode of the fifth season. The episode has an average rating of 4/5 on the official Star Trek website .-Plot:...
" Captain Janeway and Harry Kim mention having used a holodeck as children.
Applications
Starfleet personnel use holodecks for training, diagnostics and recreation. Holodecks are used to recreate or simulate settings and events for analysis, such as to explore the forensics and logisticsLogistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
of a crime scene for law enforcement purposes, or for scientific experimentation. In general, the holodeck "functions as a cultural repository of narrative possibilities that would normally be excluded from the ship's own sociohistorical moment" and "allows the Enterprise community to include even that which it excludes by containing the excluded within a proper, controlled place which in no way intrudes upon the everyday space of the ship."
The Emergency Medical Hologram
Doctor (Star Trek)
The Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram Mark I , is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Voyager, played by actor Robert Picardo...
on ships such as USS Voyager
USS Voyager (Star Trek)
The fictional Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway....
applies holodeck technology to present a single "character" within the otherwise natural environment of the ship's sick bay
Sick bay
A sick bay is a compartment in a ship used for medical purposes — the ship's hospital.The sick bay will contain the ship's medicine chest which may be divided into separate cabinets such as a refrigerator for medicines which require cold storage and a locked cabinet for controlled substances...
.
An example of the holodeck's recreational functions are the holosuites that are owned and rented out – often for sexual
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
purposes – by Quark
Quark (Star Trek)
Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically ultra-capitalist and only motivated by...
on Deep Space Nine
Deep Space Nine (space station)
Deep Space Nine is a fictitious space station, and is the eponymous primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole, and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens...
.
Writing stories and plotlines for the holodeck is an activity pursued by people known as holonovelists. It was the chosen profession of Lt. Tom Paris
Tom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
of the USS Voyager
USS Voyager (Star Trek)
The fictional Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway....
, and he pursued it when the ship finally returned from the Delta Quadrant in the show's finale.
The Holosuites and holodecks utilize two major subsystems: the holographic image and the conversion of matter. The holographic imaging system creates realistic environments and landscapes. The conversion system of matter creates physical objects from the central supply of raw materials from the ship. Under normal conditions, a participant in a holographic simulation should not be able to distinguish an object from a simulated real one.
The holodeck also generates impressive recreations of humanoid and other forms of life by means of precisely-shaped force fields covered by holographic imagery, with the effect that they seem solid to the touch. They are made to move by use of tractor beams, resulting in highly articulated and computer-controlled "puppets" which are exceptionally realistic, showing nearly equal behavior to that exhibited by living beings, depending, of course, on the limits of the software involved. However, the replication-based material transport system is obviously unable to reproduce a living being.
Solid, inanimate objects on the holodeck--items such as a book, a rock, or an apple-- are composed of matter arranged by the replication system and, when deemed appropriate by the computer system, can be interacted with or even consumed. Objects created by replication of matter are physically real and can indeed be removed from the holodeck, noting only that they will no longer be under the control of the computer once removed from the simulation. However, objects created on the holodeck that are purely images can not be removed from the simulated environment, even if they seem to have a physical reality due to the force fields. In order for a given item to be removed from the environment of the holodeck, a person would need to be holding the object as he/she leaves.
The basic mechanism behind the holodeck is the omnidirectional holo-diode (HDO or OHD, its acronym in English). The HDO comprises two types of micro-miniature devices that project a variety of special force field. The density of HDOS in a holographic surface is 400 per square centimeter, fed by an outlet eletroplasma medium power. Entire walls are covered with HDOS, manufactured in an inexpensive process of printing circuits on a roll.
A typical surface holodeck includes twelve sub-layers processed a total of 3.5 mm, fused to a thermal-structural light panel, which on average is 3.04 cm thick. The primary materials include sub-processor/emitter of superconducting material. Each individual HDO measures 0.01 mm. The mechanism of digital optical network, by which an HDOS receive impulses, is similar to that which feeds smaller display panels, although the walls are divided into major sections, and easier to control with greater speed, each with 0.61 m². Sub-sections which are dedicated to the main computer can control such "monitors" which are the size of rooms.
Besides the ability to project stereoscopic color images, HDOS manipulate the force fields in three dimensions to allow visitors to "feel" objects that are not really there. This tactile stimulus provides the appropriate response one would expect from a rock on the ground or a tree growing in a forest. The only factors limiting the number and types of object are given by the computer memory and time to retrieve or calculate the beginning the pattern of an object, either real or imaginary.
The version of "optics" of a HDO sends a complete picture of the environment or landscape, based on their location relative to the full panel. The visitor, however, sees only a small portion of each HDOS, almost like a fly's eye operating in reverse. When the visitor moves the visible portions of HDOS change, changing the perspective. In reality, the energy emitted is not a visible electromagnetic emission, but is actually polarized patterns of interference. The image is reconstructed where the patterns intersect the lens of the eye or any visual receiver.
Notable appearances
It has been noted Star Trek has "a number of interesting 'holodeck' episodes that very roughly point towards interesting philosophical and sociological issues of virtual realities".The first episode featuring a holodeck was "The Practical Joker", an animated episode
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
in which it was called a "recreation room". Due to interference with the ship's computers, several crew members were trapped in it.
There were several incidents of crew being trapped or injured by holodeck malfunctions in later episodes. One resulted in the shooting of the ship's historian on board Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
. In the episode "A Fistful of Datas", Lt. Worf
Worf
Worf, played by Michael Dorn, is a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in seasons four to seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appears in the films based on The Next Generation. Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and has appeared in more Star...
, his son Alexander, and Counselor Troi
Deanna Troi
Commander Deanna Troi is a main character in the science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and related TV series and films, portrayed by actress Marina Sirtis. Troi is half-human, half-Betazoid and has the psionic ability to sense emotions. She serves as the ship's counselor...
were trapped in a 19th century American West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
adventure with the safety protocols disabled when a computer experiment involving Lt. Cmdr. Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
went awry. Worf received a minor gunshot wound when the computer began remaking all the characters as replicas of Data. However he was able to safely play out the story, and once the story ended the trio was able to leave the holodeck. Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
experiences an upgraded holodeck in "The Big Goodbye", in which he portrays the detective Dixon Hill, a boyhood hero of the captain's. This episode establishes the power and function of the holodeck. A malfunction leads to Data, Jean-Luc, and Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
being trapped on the holodeck. Picard portrayed the character again in Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
.
The disabling of a holodeck's safety protocols was used as a tactical advantage in Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
, when under attack from the Borg
Borg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
, Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
disables the security protocols and grabs a holographic tommy gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
, shooting and killing two Borg drones.
The holodeck was used as a plot device
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
to explore metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
questions, in such episodes as "Elementary, Dear Data" and "Ship in a Bottle", in which a holodeck character becomes self-aware and contemplates the nature of his identity and continued existence.. In Michio Kaku's TV series Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible, he discussed the Holodeck in an episode entitled Hollodeck.
In Star Trek: Voyager the holodeck was used extensively because (1) a crew isolated from their homes required more frequent diversion, (2) the holographic Doctor could, in the early seasons, be located only in the Sick Bay or one of the holodecks, (3) one of the main characters, Tom Paris, was by nature and calling a writer (holonovelist) -- he only joined Star Fleet because his father, Admiral Paris, forced him to.
Significant/Innovative uses of the holodeck in Star Trek Voyager include:
The existence of alien "Photonic Lifeforms" who interact with the "Organics" on board Voyager primarily through the holodecks:
Episodes: "Heroes and Demons" (in which the Doctor goes on his first "away mission") and "Shattered" (in which the "Captain Proton" villain "Chaotica" wages war on a species of sentient photonic explorers).
The introduction of children's holonovels (enjoyed by Naomi Wildman)
Episode: "Once Upon a Time" (introducing the character "Flotter")
The long-term use of holodeck locations as gathering places for all crew members:
Chez Sandrine (French bar/pool hall frequented by Tom Paris as a Star Fleet cadet)
Talaxian Beach Club (frequented by Neelix, then populated with humans by Harry Kim and Tom Paris)
Fair Haven (Irish town designed by Tom Paris)
The episode "Worst Case Scenario" in which a holographic training program designed by Security Officer Tuvok is found and mistaken for an edgy holonovel in which the former-Maquis members of the crew conspire to mutiny -- which then becomes extremely popular among the entertainment-deprived crew.
Captain Janeway gives holo-technology to the hunter-race the Hirogen after they take over Voyager for an extended period of time (Episdoes: "The Killing Game" parts 1 and 2) and use the ship's holodecks (safety protocols off) to hunt down the members of the Voyager crew in (what they consider) intriguing holographic environments. Episode "Flesh and Blood" reveals that the Hirogen's improvements (designed to create more challenging holographic prey) have essentially created a new race of photonic beings who (since they have only been hunted and killed repeatedly during their existences) are understandably unfriendly towards organic people.
In Episode "Nothing Human" a holographic version of a real-life war criminal (whose unethical research helps save a crew-member's life) is held responsible for the crimes of the Cardassian he was modeled upon.
A holonovel "Photons Be Free" authored by the Doctor (Episode: "Author, Author") raises the issue of whether the holographic Doctor is a person and has any legal rights, and ends showing dozens of copies of the Doctor mining dilithium by hand for the federation, essentially as slaves.
Similar technology in other works
- Ray BradburyRay BradburyRay Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
was perhaps the first science fiction author to envision a simulated environment similar to the holodeck. His 1951 book of short stories, The Illustrated ManThe Illustrated ManThe Illustrated Man is a 1951 book of eighteen science fiction short stories by Ray Bradbury that explores the nature of mankind. While none of the stories has a plot or character connection with the next, a recurring theme is the conflict of the cold mechanics of technology and the psychology of...
, includes a story called The VeldtThe Veldt"The Veldt" is a short story written by Ray Bradbury that was published originally as "The World the Children Made" in the September 23, 1950 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, later republished in the anthology The Illustrated Man in 1951...
, in which a children's nursery can create material objects based on thought. - In 1965, computer scientistComputer scientistA computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
Ivan SutherlandIvan SutherlandIvan Edward Sutherland is an American computer scientist and Internet pioneer. He received the Turing Award from the Association for Computing Machinery in 1988 for the invention of Sketchpad, an early predecessor to the sort of graphical user interface that has become ubiquitous in personal...
stated: "The ultimate display would, of course, be a room within which the computer can control the existence of matter. A chair displayed in such a room would be good enough to sit in. Handcuffs displayed in such a room would be confining, and a bullet displayed in such a room would be fatal." - In the 1973 RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n science-fiction movie Moscow-CassiopeiaMoscow-CassiopeiaMoscow-Cassiopeia is a Soviet 1973 film directed by Richard Viktorov based on a script by Isai Kuznetsov and Avenir Zak. Followed by Otroki vo vselennoy . Runtime - 85 min.-Synopsis:...
, a "Surprise Room" operated in the same way as the holodeck in Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. - The 1974 Japanese TV series Space Battleship YamatoSpace Battleship Yamatois a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
(Star BlazersStar BlazersStar Blazers is an American animated television series adaptation of the Japanese anime series, . Star Blazers was first broadcast in the United States in 1979. Significantly, it was the first popular English-translated anime that had an over-arching plot and storyline that required the episodes to...
in English syndication) features a "resort room" which allowed the crew to combat homesickness by immersing themselves in simulated scenes of Earth. - In the X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
comic book series, the X-Men train in the Danger RoomDanger RoomThe Danger Room is a fictional training facility built for the X-Men of Marvel Comics as part of the various incarnations of the X-Mansion.-Early designs:...
. In the earliest version of this room depicted in the 1960s, the Danger Room utilized mere mechanical devices to simulate threats, but the version depicted following an upgrade by the extraterrestrial Sh'iar in the early 1980s utilizes sophisticated holograms, robots, and other sensory simulation to create environments as realistic as those on the holodeck. In the film X-Men: The Last StandX-Men: The Last StandX-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
, the Danger Room's holography is shown to be a combination of light projection and solid objects. - In the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
and Stargate AtlantisStargate AtlantisStargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
, some advanced races (such as the AsgardAsgard (Stargate)The Asgard are a fictional highly advanced race in the science fiction series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. They are first mentioned in the episode , and first seen in . In the series, the Asgard gave rise to Norse mythology on Earth, as well as accounts of the Roswell "Greys"...
and the AncientsAncient (Stargate)The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
) have holo technology, albeit generally not to the extent of a Star Trek-style holodeck. - In the series Jake 2.0Jake 2.0Jake 2.0 is an American science fiction television series originally broadcast on UPN in 2003. The series was canceled on January 14, 2004 due to low ratings, leaving four episodes unaired in the United States. In the United Kingdom, all the episodes aired on Sky1...
, the protagonist was seen training in a holographic room in one of the early episodes. - In the series Power Rangers: S.P.D.Power Rangers: S.P.D.Power Rangers S.P.D. is the 2005 incarnation of the Power Rangers television series, adapted from the Super Sentai series Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger. It is also the title for the Korean dub of Dekaranger in South Korea, whose logo is similar to the American series. S.P.D...
, the Rangers train in a similar room on at least two occasions. - In FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, the Nimbus is equipped with a "holoshed", a parody of the holodeck. - Madden NFL 09Madden NFL 09Madden NFL 09 is an American football video game based on the NFL that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 20th annual installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. This game is known for its realistic graphics and big hits...
features a "holographic environment" for players to train. - In the film Spy KidsSpy KidsThe Spy Kids series is a series of family action adventure films written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The main plot follows the adventures of two Cortez children who become involved in their parents' espionage. The rest of their family are spies as well, including their estranged...
, Fegan Floop uses a holodeck-like room known as the "virtual room" as a film set for his television show. - In the Nintendo 64 game Perfect DarkPerfect DarkPerfect Dark is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is considered the spiritual successor to Rare's earlier first-person shooter GoldenEye 007, with which it shares many gameplay features...
, players can use a holo room for basic training purposes. - In Power Rangers in SpacePower Rangers in SpacePower Rangers in Space is a television show that aired in 1998 as the sixth season and fourth installment of the Power Rangers franchise...
, the Power RangersPower RangersPower Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
use the Simudeck on the Astro Megaship to train and exercise. - In the Show SquidbilliesSquidbilliesSquidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
, (episode "Holodeck Redneck") The Sheriff uses a holodeck to distract Early while he repossesses his truck-boat-truck-boat-truck-wave-runner, which in fact happened inside a holodeck within a therapist's office as a fantasy of The Sheriff's, which in turn took place inside a holodeck in the therapist's office as a part of one of Early's fantasies. - Albeit being a police procedural rather than a SF-show, the medical examiners in CSI: New York use a holodeck frequently.
- In 2011 author A. A. Farr created a similar environment in the book Koschei: The Conclusion: A Fallen Hero. The concept took place in a large black building said to be used for training, but once inside a city would be before you. The building contained a mix between fluctuating reality and virtual reality by a means of magic and imagination, and was in actuality just one large room.
- In Future Boy ConanFuture Boy Conanis an anime series, which premiered across Japan on the NHK network between April 4 and October 31, 1978 on the Tuesday 19:30-20:00 timeslot. The official English title used by Nippon Animation is Conan, The Boy in Future....
episode The Solar Tower, Lao shows the kids the Triangle Tower's virtual park, which works similarly to the Holodeck
See also
- Artificial realityArtificial realityArtificial reality was the term Myron W. Krueger used to describe his interactive immersive environments, based on video recognition techniques, that put a user in full, unencumbered contact with the digital world. He started this work in the late 1960s and is considered to be a key figure in the...
- Augmented realityAugmented realityAugmented reality is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. It is related to a more general concept called mediated reality, in which a view of reality is...
- Cave Automatic Virtual EnvironmentCave Automatic Virtual EnvironmentA Cave Automatic Virtual Environment is an immersive virtual reality environment where projectors are directed to three, four, five or six of the walls of a room-sized cube...
- Haptic technology
- Methods of virtual realityMethods of virtual realityThere are a number of methods by which virtual reality can be realized.- Simulation-based VR :The first method is simulation-based virtual reality...
- Mixed realityMixed realityMixed reality refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time...
- Narrative environmentNarrative environmentA narrative environment is a space, whether physical or virtual, in which stories can unfold. A virtual narrative environment might be the narrative framework in which game play can proceed...
- Omnidirectional treadmillOmnidirectional treadmillAn omnidirectional treadmill, or ODT, is a device that allows a person to perform locomotive motion in any direction. The ability to move in any direction is how these treadmills differ from their basic counterparts...
- Virtual retinal displayVirtual retinal displayA virtual retinal display , also known as a retinal scan display or retinal projector , is a display technology that draws a raster display directly onto the retina of the eye. The user sees what appears to be a conventional display floating in space in front of them...
- Volumetric displayVolumetric displayA volumetric display device is a graphical display device that forms a visual representation of an object in three physical dimensions, as opposed to the planar image of traditional screens that simulate depth through a number of different visual effects...