Cerebellum Enhancement Modules
Overview
One of the most common illegal physiological enhancement systems, capable of helping even the clumsiest of people into an acrobat, and also causing severe neural damage in the long run.
Basic Function
C Ems (pronounced “sems”) are inserted into the cerebellum through a minor surgery. C Ems act to amplify impulses from key sensory areas and aid the cerebellum in co-ordinating them. This can greatly increase reflexes, and by using some limited AI technology, can actually multiprocess along with the cerebellum a large amount of sensory data, making the enhanced invididual far faster in his or responses and muscle co-ordination.
Drawbacks
The most common myth about C Ems is that they somehow imbue a person with superhuman dexterity. It still requires training to be able to properly utilize the new and greatly heightened physical responses. Without it, the individual isn’t likely to notice an substantial improvements.
The most serious drawback to C Ems comes, ironically, from overtraining. Those who seek to become martial artists of legendary abilities can often overload the CEM module, causing the failure of the AI and shocking the cerebellum with massive electrical bursts which can literally fry that part of the brain, leaving the person dead, or perhaps worse, unable to co-ordinate any muscle or sensory activity.
History
C Ems are the latest in a long time of cerebellum enhancers, the key difference being that older enhancers had to pretty much be built to a specific individual. C Ems, through use of their limited AI, are adaptable to most individuals.
C Ems were initially developed for military purposes, as part a long-term program to develop Enhanced Soldier Systems. Spectacular failures and tragedies lead to the banning of these devices, though there’s no doubt, as with all such technologies, that the black market demand (even by Imperium military groups) would keep the technology available and further developed. Still, being found with a CEM module can lead to its removal, which can be sufficiently traumatic to cause death.
CEM development lead to further integration of the human brain and technology. A spin-off of CEM technology, Neural Wave Amplifiers, holds the promise of technology-based telepathy.