Star Trek Technology
H
Hailing frequencies
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
A broad range of (subspace) communication frequencies which is used to contact alien ships, in order to ensure that the message is received. Hailing messages are usually sent in various languages when an unknown alien ship is encountered.
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Heading
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Flight vector which is specified relative to the center of the galaxy. A heading consists of the two coordinates azimuth (horizontal angle) and elevation (vertical angle). Heading 000-mark-0 represents a direction towards the galaxy center.
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Heisenberg compensator
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Part of the transporter system that is connected to the molecular imaging scanners and balances out the Heisenberg effect. This effect is a quantum uncertainty that would otherwise not allow to exactly recreate the state of a complex electronic device or an organism, in particular a neural system.
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Holodeck
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
A room aboard a starship or any other facility equipped
with a 360 degree projection and forcefield system to recreate or simulate
whatever natural or artificial environment is requested. The projection
system is based on the omnidirectional holodiode. Numerous holodiodes
are arranged in form of an array in the walls of a holodeck. Mere holographic
light projections are employed to recreate remote scenery, while objects
likely to be touched may be replicated. The projection always includes
the whole three-dimensional structure of the environment, of which the
visitor only perceives a two-dimensional cross-section, according to
his current visual angle. In order to simulate a much larger environment
than the size of the holodeck, forcefields are moving beneath the feet
of the participants, while the whole environment is scrolling (treadmill
effect).
It has been shown in several TNG episodes and mentioned in the TNG Technical
Manual that the holodeck does not only project light or forcefields,
but is also capable of actually creating matter. It is obvious that
the holodeck includes replicators to generate permanent matter. Only
this way it can be rationalized why Wesley remains wet after leaving
the holodeck in TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint" and why the piece
of paper with the Enterprise schematic drawn by Moriarty continues to
exist outside the holodeck in TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data".
Still, there is also the so-called "holomatter", that is equivalent
to real matter, as long as it remains on the holodeck. The properties
of holomatter (namely Moriarty) and the possibility to convert it to
real matter with the help of the transporter are discussed in TNG: "Ship
in a Bottle". The holomatter characters in TNG: "The Big Goodbye"
do actually vanish just outside the range of the holoprojectors. However,
according to the STTNG Technical Manual this matter does not cease to
exist outside the holodeck, but is only without computer control. Maybe
the holodeck has been improved in the meantime so as to provide "real"
characters. The treadmill effect to move within the simulation is plausible
as long as only a few persons are present, and the holodeck might be
split if the two persons or two groups of persons move too far away
from one another in the simulation. The holographic projection system
is fascinating, yet mysterious. 20th century holograms reproduce a surface
which can be viewed from any angle up to 360 degree. Star Trek holodiodes
actually create a volume by suited interference of electromagnetic beams,
and a person is able to move within this projection without disturbing
it. More about holodecks here.
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Holosuite
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Fundamentally the same installation as a holodeck, however, supplemented with some special programs that probably do not exist on Starfleet ships. ;-)
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Hull plating
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Basically, any form of plates that cover a starship hull. Specifically, polarized hull plates served as a protection against weapons before shields became available.
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Hyperspace
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Concept of an additional spatial dimension, used to describe
a folded 3-dimensional space.
While the term hyperspace is used extremely seldom in Star Trek, in
contrast to most other science fiction, it is included in for instance
in the wormhole theory.
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Hyperspanner
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
General purpose engineering tool used in Starfleet.
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HyposprayCanon - Official Star Trek Technology
Medical device that allows subcutaneous or intravenous
injections without a syringe. The hypospray evaporates the medicament
and ejects it under high pressure in order to penetrate the epidermis
without damage.
Hyposprays exist already in our time, although they have not come into
widespread use, maybe because of the incapability of bringing exact
doses into the blood stream. Invented in the 1940s and nowadays marketed
as "jet injectors", hyposprays are used to deliver small volume
doses of high potency medications through the skin, such as insulin
or vaccinations (thanks to Seth Cohen for pointing me to the jet injectors).
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