Pamphlet for prospective Androids

[petey]

So someone started an owner's manual for 'built' androids, so as a 'transformation' guy, I had to respond with a little thing of my own. Maybe this belongs in a different sub-forum, but you can imagine this (in the hands of someone with an ounce of graphic design skill) as something handed out to people considering getting their brains downloaded into an android body. I probably left some big things out, but this is definitely a work in progress.



ANDROID TRANSFORMATION
A guide for the prospective Synthetic-American
Some handy terms
Android: A robot designed to mimic the male or gender-non-specific human form.
Full synthetic replacement (FSR): The transfer of a human consciousness from it natural body into an android.
Gynoid: a robot designed to mimic the female human form.
Lattice Processing Unit(LPU): The android equivalent of the human brain. The hardware responsible for controlling the android's responses.
Robot: a device able to perform work independently
Mind Transference(MT): The mapping of a biological brain onto a LPU.
Third-body programming: Information mapped to the LPU that originates from outside your biological body. May be entirely informational, or assistance for new body configurations.
Transfer Expert: A professional trained to facilitate any and all steps of the FSR process.

So what exactly is Full Synthetic Replacement?
To put it succinctly, you become an android.
To be more precise, your brain is intensively mapped and analyzed, then we reproduce it within an artificial LPU (see 'Some Handy Terms'). This new 'brain' is then installed within a replica of a human body. Usually this replica body is younger and more attractive than the client's original body. This android is capable of feeding into your LPU the full range of sensations you might expect from a biological body.
Android bodies do not get diseases, and because they were built by a human being, they can be maintained and repaired to a degree impossible for a human body. Clients report increased vigor, reduced anxiety, and an overall higher sense of well-being after undergoing FSR.

Frequently Asked Questions
I have a serious, debilitating medical condition, am I still eligible for FSR?
In many cases, poor health is not a disqualification for the FSR process. Brain damage/tumors and serious heart conditions may require special care during the MT procedure and increase the risk of complications. Only in rare cases will an FSR be deemed impossible by our Transfer experts.

I was born deaf, will my android body be able to hear?
FSR is an especially attractive option for those born blind, deaf, or with some other physical malform. Your android body will have the same functional abilities as one made for anyone else. We offer special assistance and third-body programming to help you adapt to your unfamiliar sensory experience.

I'm currently taking medication for a psychiatric disorder, will my new brain have the same disorders?
Improved psychiatric functioning is one of the many benefits of FSR. Psychiatric disorders can be diagnosed during your preliminary brain scan and consultation, and your transfer expert can suggest programming options for your new body that mimic current treatment or, in some cases, eliminate the disorder entirely.

How similar to my biological body must my android body be?
Experience has shown the more alike your old and new selves are, the smoother the FSR will be. There are production limitations to the size various parts of your synthetic anatomy, but there is no technological barrier that causes one person to be able to inhabit a certain android body while another may not.
Your Transfer Expert may refer you to a psychiatric professional before approving radical changes including, but not limited to, your race or gender.

What can go wrong?
FSR is a medical procedure, and like any medical procedure, there are risks involved. The most common complication is memory loss. The average subject retains 99.2% of their memories. The American Board of Mind Transfer Specialists considers 98% the minimum standard for a successful transference. Usually, these are content-specific memories, such as the smell of peanut butter. Many new androids find it interesting to do something for the first time, a second time. For example, enjoying their first Coca-cola for the second time.
In rare instances, motor skills or the ability to interpret sensory input are lost. In nearly all these cases, the installation of third-body software can correct for lost knowledge.
There is the risk of a fatal error occurring, as this is a major, invasive medical procedure. However, studies have shown the risk is similar to the risk of dying during Rhinoplasty or other types of cosmetic surgery.

What happens to my body after I'm an android?
After the MT procedure, your biological body is reduced to a vegetative state and requires intensive care in order to survive. Under normal circumstances, we let your body expire after determining the viability of its organs for transplant (Note for CA residents: You will be able to keep the full donor reward, minus any expenses incurred for your body's intensive care).
Legally, The attending doctor will declare when brain function has been initialized in the android body and thus all rights and property will be transferred from your biological body to your android body.
Some clients have been known to hold a wake in memory of their biological selves, doubling as a celebration of their new life as an android.
Further questions about the use of your biological body can be discussed with your transfer expert during the consultation process.

Will I still have a soul?
That question is beyond the pay grade of out engineers and technical writing staff, but there are many churches, synagogues, et al that welcome synthetic Americans into their membership.

How much does it cost? Will my insurance cover all or part of the expense?
Few plans (Platinum-plus Medicare is one exception) cover FSR as an elective procedure. Some plans do partially cover the MT procedure if you are suffering from a life-threatening illness. Medicare Gold and Medicare Silver will cover 25% of the MT procedure's cost if you suffer from certain conditions such as kidney or lung failure.
As a guideline, most clients spend two times the value of their primary residence on their FSR. Financing plans are available through several partner financial institutions. Because of the long expected lifespan and higher earning power of androids, these are often done as 30-year instruments.
Most clients find that their combined maintenance and fuel costs are 25% higher than their existing costs for food and health insurance.

[Svengli]

Actually,

It seems like medical science is going faster on the body than the brain side. There was an article about allowing totally paralyzed patients to speak recently as well as serious progress on prosthetics.

So, in the next ten years, it may be possible to become a "hybrid synthetic", a brain plus a synthetic body. I'd estimate a "full synthetic" would be about 25-35 years away.

Best of luck to all aspirants...