Audio Tech Question

[The Inquisitor]

As we all know sound does not travel in space yet we hear sound (from the void) on the Bridge during battles etc.

Now I know this is only done for the sake of the show but it got me thinking (probably as a way to justify the use of sound in space in the show).

Given that our senses are intrinsically linked in the brain to give us our bearings, being without sound in an alien environment (space) is a major disadvantage.

I was wondering if some form of 'false audio' technology might be in place on the bridge to aid the crew with their spacial awareness. Much like false colour is used to see thermal imaging perhaps the sensors on the ship can simulate the sound of incoming vessels/fire etc from well positioned speakers so as to aid the crew in a combat scenario (or any other for that matter).

 

[ngc7293]

No. Think of nBSG. That show played out in a "realistic" fashion and people got along just fine without having to sense the sound of their vehicle around them.

Phaser hits would be felt when they hit your ship. It might be a dull thud depending on where it hits and you have damage control to take care of it.

 

[BlobVanDam]

Explosions are no fun without a giant BOOM sound. That's all the justification I need for it.
With how much else is unrealistic in scifi, I've always just accepted sound in space as creative license for the sake of entertainment value. Others may strongly disagree, but the entertainment value is more important to me than the scientific reality, and at least it's one scientific inaccuracy that's consistent throughout Trek.

 

[Tiberius]

I believe the canonical explanation (from the Making of Star trek: Deep Space Nine book) is that they simply have very sensitive microphones. After all, space is rarely a perfect vacuum...

 

[Timo]

No need for microphones. The explosion (or the impulse or warp engine of a passing ship, or the phaser blast, or whatever) is likely to create some EM noise, and your audio amplifier will pick that up even without the help of a microphone...

That is, if you kept your spacesuit comm channel open and stepped out into a space battle, you might well "hear" the passing ships, the exploding torpedoes, the phaser beams that burn the vacuum next to you...

If you don't want to hear the explosions, though, just turn off the loudspeaker in your helmet (or in your TV set), and it will stop picking up the EM noise.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[The Inquisitor]

Interesting. I fully agree that the 'soundless' approach that some other shows utilise is more realistic and they do appear to get on fine without sound. I was just wondering if such a tech may be possible or in use in the Trek universe. For a federation that can master FTL travel and holodeck technology, surely false audio systems wouldn't be too difficult to master.

The thought occurred to me after watching a documentary about the human senses shortly after watching voyager. If I'm going to be attacked by a Borg cube I would like to be able to hear it coming

 

[Timo]

One further point: if Starfleet were interested in that sort of situational awareness, one'd think they would equip the bridge with all-around viewscreens...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[The Inquisitor]

^ very good point. It's always bugged me that they don't use all the tech available to them to improve the bridge (holo tech). The closest aproximation to the perfect bridge (for me anyway) is the big spherical room Patric Stewart uses in X-Men. It's sort of a cross between Astrometrics and the bridge.

 

[bryce]

^ very good point. It's always bugged me that they don't use all the tech available to them to improve the bridge (holo tech). The closest aproximation to the perfect bridge (for me anyway) is the big spherical room Patric Stewart uses in X-Men. It's sort of a cross between Astrometrics and the bridge.

Yeah, I surprised that they don't used there holotechnology on the bridge to make something like the Minbari had in Babylon-5. (Something similar was seen in the US Doctor Who TV-movie in the TARDIS...which I'd love to see them bring back in some form..)

The closest Trek came was this proposed Excelsior bridge concept art for Star Trek III...

http://sites.google.com/site/spectreblofeld/excelsiorbridgeconcept.jpg

 

[The Inquisitor]

^ Superb. That's sort of what I had in mind. That with 'False sound' would provide an unparalleled vista of the space around you. Some of the fan bridge designs (Josheua Samuelson's are spectacular) feature holotech in their schematics and they sit pretty well with the established bridge layout.

I think an increased budget would be required should anything like it be attempted in any future series.

 

[ToMaHaKeR]

I know that it's not much realistic, but I really like that ''deep boom'' sound when starships enter warp in the new movie, especially when Narada engages warp to chase Spock's ship. The starships sound much more powerful, I don't know...

 

[The Inquisitor]

^ I was discussing this with my housemate the other day. I also prefer the 'BOOM' warp jump as opposed to the 'zzzzzzzzzOOOM'*

Aplologies for the crap text based sound effects.

 

[ToMaHaKeR]

Yes, and the visuals are also great. There is no more ''starship stretching'' while engaging the warp, the ships now just leave a pair of blue streaks for a second (the ''parking brake'' scene)

 

[ngc7293]

Yep, thank god the 'abramsverse' is an alternate reality...
As far as the OP. I see problems with the "holo-bridge". You better be prepared, because like every system in battle that system will go down for some reason and you will be left completely blind!
Another idea is a band of screens above everyone that act as your extra set of eyes.

 

[sojourner]

You better be prepared, because like every system in battle that system will go down for some reason and you will be left completely blind!

The same could be said for the main viewscreens used now.

 

[ToMaHaKeR]

By the way, have you noticed how fast Spock went to the bridge in Star Trek 2009? TURBOlifts have finally justified their name... Or was it a bit too fast?

 

[BlobVanDam]

By the way, have you noticed how fast Spock went to the bridge in Star Trek 2009? TURBOlifts have finally justified their name... Or was it a bit too fast?

Remember, turbolift rides are only as short as the expositional conversations that happen in them.

So if you're alone, I guess they're instantaneous.

 

[The Inquisitor]

You would think with the inertial dampeners in use on board starfleet vessels which can stop people turning into soup during warp jumps, similar tech could be used in the turbo-lift system.

In regards to the holotech breaking down, I would just make sure it's core systems were based round or designed by the same person who invented the above mentioned inertial dampening systems. These, along with the artificial gravity technology never seem to fail even when ships have received crippling damage. They are the black box recorders of their day.

 

[ngc7293]

You better be prepared, because like every system in battle that system will go down for some reason and you will be left completely blind!

The same could be said for the main viewscreens used now.

There was that one episode where Troi, Ro and a couple others were left on the bridge with Troi left in charge. They had no way to view outside of the ship and worked on sensors. I have no idea if short range sensors include the view screen. Short and long range sensors might be a station somewhere on the bridge and the view screen might be something else.


As far as the Holo bridge being given redundant systems like the systems that have been discussed, The holodeck has been shown to use up a lot of power. I would think a holobridge would be a short term use sparingly type thing.

 

[David cgc]

I was wondering if some form of 'false audio' technology might be in place on the bridge to aid the crew with their spacial awareness. Much like false colour is used to see thermal imaging perhaps the sensors on the ship can simulate the sound of incoming vessels/fire etc from well positioned speakers so as to aid the crew in a combat scenario (or any other for that matter).

This exact thing was mentioned in one of the Deep Space Nine novels. I think it might've also been a feature for starfighter pilots in a Star Wars book.