Mechanical augmentation



"In an effort to secure freedom and liberty for those under their protection, many UNATCO agents have chosen to sacrifice social acceptance for mission performance by surgically replacing limbs and organs with mechanically or electronically enhanced equivalents."

- MedDirectorate

Mechanical augmentation involves the use of machines and robotics in order to improve or replace certain human body parts and is is the progression from basic limb prosthetics with the distinguishing feature being that the machinery and robotics interfaces directly with the brain as opposed to the ends of peripheral nerves. It was the first method of augmentation, which allowed people to assume superhuman abilities albeit not without limitations. With research beginning as early as the 2010s, mechanical augmentations became widespread during the 2020s. It was the predecessor to physiopharmaceutical augmentation and the much more advanced nanotechnological augmentation.

Mechanically augmented individuals, compared to otherwise augmented people, suffer from extreme physical and mental pain, scarring, forced to take the extremely expensive Neuropozyne (a drug keeping their bodies from violently rejecting their mechanical augmentations) and drugs against pain (like Painkillers) all their life.

Development
The main obstacle in mechanical augmentation was finding the perfect interface between man and machine. While external prosthetics can be made from hypoallergenic materials, there was no such luxury when implanting devices in the brain. Early augmentation projects addressed human diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, where patients had metal electrodes inserted into their brains to stop the tremors. While successful, the unfortunate side effect of using stiff metal electrodes was their vulnerability to impacts caused by bodily movements. This caused tissue injury and compromised the device’s effectiveness.

Darrow Industries pioneered the PEDOT-cluster array to create the machine-cell hybrid device known as the biochip that was made from organic materials. This was considered revolutionary at the time and was even published in the journal NeoNature. The basis of the biochip was to use PEDOT, an organic conducting polymer, for the electrodes, which were attached to artificial neurons grown specifically for the device. The entire biochip would then be implanted in the host's brain and because of the PEDOT-cluster’s entirely organic construction and its neuron-neuron interface, would be less prone to side effects. One such device is the R7 biochip, designed by Sarif Industries. The only downside to the biochip is the issue of glial tissue build up around the PEDOT-cluster, which is detectable by elevated levels of cytotoxic-M and DDS-Y enzymes in the matrix. Not only does this compromise the effectiveness of the biochip, it can lead to rejection, also known as Darrow Deficiency Syndrome. The only way to prevent rejection is to take Neuropozyne, which breaks down the build up of glial tissue.

The X1 prototype biochip also designed by Sarif Industries would address the issue of glial tissue build up. The PEDOT-cluster array used in the X1 biochip incorporates a mutagenic chemical that was isolated from the DNA strands of Patient X. The nature of this chemical is not explained but is apparently harmless, contrary to its description as a mutagen. When the mutagenic chemical is added to the PEDOT-cluster of the biochip, within 24 hours, the PEDOT-cluster is encapsulated in a thick coating of neural tissue that reduces the PEDOT-cluster’s immunogenicity. Research on the X1 biochip was due to be presented in Washington DC in 2027 but the head researcher of Sarif Industries was killed prior to the conference. It was heavily implied in the research notes entitled Composite Study 07121969 - Final Test Results that the artificial neurons of future PEDOT-clusters would be grown using segments of Patient X's DNA in an effort to naturally produce this mutagenic compound.

Socio-political
Despite the apparent benefits that augmentations could bring to humans, there was widespread belief that the technology could be abused. Having become commonplace in the 2020s, there was a social rift emerging between augmented and non-augmented human beings. Supporters of augmentation can be seen dressed in renaissance-inspired attire, while denouncers can be seen dressed in modern clothing. Prominent persons advocating against the use of augmentations in humans included William Taggart, the head of Humanity Front, and Ezekiel Sanders, the head of Purity First. While these two individuals had personal reasons for denouncing augmentations, many people felt that augmentations would usurp the social order, as the mechanically augmented can accomplish more than regular people, eliminating the need for natural skill or talent.

Even though mechanical augmentations had become smaller and more discreet, by 2052, mechanical augmentations had become increasingly rare and, ironically, people with mechanical augmentations were even considered as second-class citizens. They had their own airport security systems and had to register with government authorities. They were also not allowed in certain locations and had separate facilities, ostensibly tailored to their unique needs but really as a way of controlling them. There is no way a mechanically augmented human can pass for normal for very long. "This is the old augmentation technology, hopefully about to be phased out. Notice the reliance on electronics and servomechanics. A maintenance nightmare. If I had two credits for every repair manual they've made me file in my office in the Med Lab..."

- Jaime Reyes, 2052

It was at this time that the more advanced nanotechnological augmentations started to become widespread and by 2072, mechanical augmentation was no longer practiced having been completely replaced by nano-augmentations. No mechanically augmented people are seen in Deus Ex: Invisible War. Even the Knights Templar, radical anti-augmentation activists in 2072, never mention mechanical augmentation, confirming that it is no longer practiced.

Deus Ex

 * Anna Navarre
 * Gunther Hermann
 * Guy
 * JoJo Fine
 * Jordan Shea
 * Louis
 * Rock
 * Sam Carter
 * Two security guards of the club La Porte de l'Enfer

Deus Ex: Invisible War

 * No humans, as mechanical augmentation is considered impractical and obsolete since the advent of nano-augmentation. However, it is used on dogs to create cyberdogs and baboons to create rucks.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

 * Adam Jensen
 * Anna Kelso
 * Ben Saxon
 * David Sarif
 * Jaron Namir
 * Katrina Sutherland
 * Lawrence Barrett
 * Quincy Durant
 * Tong Si Hung
 * Yelena Fedorova
 * Many others, as mechanical augmentation is the only commercial form of augmentation in 2027