Humanoid life readings

[Vandervecken]

What the hell are they? What does it mean when Beverly Crusher, for example, says the readings are humanoid? Humanoid is a shape--is that what this means, that the sensors actually sense rough shape, 2 legs, 2 arms, thorax? (multiple arms or legs would mean that we are not talking about a quadruped and no matter what the shape it wouldn't be humanoid) I guess that's possible--some sort of superexact radar function? So a quadruple amputee human being or Klingon wouldn't show up human to these sensors?--hard to believe. Honestly I don't buy that these sensors sense shape.

Internal organ placement and orientations? Some commonality of general shapes employed for whatever functions? But that's shape again.

A common humanoid biochemical signature? But that would mean that Federation science long had a very good reason to suspect what they learned in the Chase and that it shouldn't have been a lone scientist's dream. And if Federation scientists didn't suspect that, then the designers of the sensors should never have believed that this signature would necessarily apply to any newly encountered humanoid species.

 

[Tosk]

I would assume "humanoid lifesigns" is just a short-hand way of saying that they are likely dealing with a sentient species.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Maybe they're getting brainwaves that show evidence of higher thought?

 

[Shawnster]

A result of the television making constraints, no doubt. Most of the intelligent beings are humanoid - 1 head, central body, 2 arms, 2 legs, bipedal locomotion. Maybe bad or incorrect writing. A blind alley or blinders because the writers know in advance that the alien will look human.

Vulcans are humanoid but their internal organ structure is different than humans.

Sensors are able to distinguish between Vulcan and Romulan, but it is a minimal difference.

The Horta was sentient and intelligent and definitely not humanoid. It was also silicon based instead of carbon based. Sensors are able to determine this.

Is a gorilla humanoid shaped?

 

[Vandervecken]

A result of the television making constraints, no doubt. Most of the intelligent beings are humanoid - 1 head, central body, 2 arms, 2 legs, bipedal locomotion. Maybe bad or incorrect writing. A blind alley or blinders because the writers know in advance that the alien will look human.

Vulcans are humanoid but their internal organ structure is different than humans.

Sensors are able to distinguish between Vulcan and Romulan, but it is a minimal difference.

The Horta was sentient and intelligent and definitely not humanoid. It was also silicon based instead of carbon based. Sensors are able to determine this.

Is a gorilla humanoid shaped?

A gorilla would be humanoid I think.

I think you're right about the blinders in the real world for the writers, was hoping we could create an in-universe explanation. But hell I give. It's just sloppiness.

 

[Tenacity]

Humanoid is a shape

Yes , you hit the nail on the head and have answered your own question.

That is a "humanoid life sign."

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

So they effectively do an MRI on a ship they scan and find people shapes?

 

[Nerys Myk]

But hell I give. It's just sloppiness.

More of a "shorthand". A quick way to get an idea across.

 

[Vandervecken]

More of a "shorthand". A quick way to get an idea across.

It's too specific then and fails. It DOESN'T get the idea across, if the idea is merely sentient, and if it does mean humanoid, it's just about inexplicable except if we say the sensors have some sort of radar built in.

 

[Nerys Myk]

It's too specific then and fails. It DOESN'T get the idea across, if the idea is merely sentient, and if it does mean humanoid, it's just about inexplicable except if we say the sensors have some sort of radar built in.

It means people like us. More for the audience than for anyone in-universe. When they want the audience to know more they give them more. "In-universe" explanations are often a fools errand when coming against the shorthand of scripted entertainment. In reality the scans would give all sorts of information that would eat up valuable screen time elaborated on.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I suppose if they wanted to do it differently, they could have given a better class name to that combination of readings that indicated Humanoids...like they have M-class planets, not Earthoid planet readings.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I suppose if they wanted to do it differently, they could have given a better class name to that combination of readings that indicated Humanoids...like they have M-class planets, not Earthoid planet readings.

M Class meant Earth-Mars originally, That's some range.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I've always viewed "humanoid" as a generic and arbitrary-chosen term (by Humans) for most bipedal life-forms, including Vulcans, Klingons, Ferengi, Jem'Hadar and so on.

"Human" is a more specific term for homo sapiens, with "Terran" an even more specific term for Humans from Earth, IMO.

On the other hand, you can have "Vulcanoid" which can also include Romulans, Mintakans, and any similar species.

 

[nascenticity]

A gorilla would be humanoid I think.

I think you're right about the blinders in the real world for the writers, was hoping we could create an in-universe explanation. But hell I give. It's just sloppiness.

Agreed. If an unrelated alien reads as "humanoid" then unintelligent species like gorillas or chimpanzees would defintely be humanoid. Especially when iirc it's implied a few times that the "life signs" sensors somehow read actual DNA.

Just one of those little things that wasn't really thought through.

 

[Shawnster]

More of a "shorthand". A quick way to get an idea across.

I like this.

Humanoid life readings = humanoid shape, carbon based, oxygen-nitrogen breathing, sapient