Voice modulator
The voice modulator is a small electronic implant which, when placed next to a person's voice box, can imitate any voice or sound.
The voice modulator consists of two parts. The first, linked to the user's brain, is a computer microprocessor which can analyze any sound the user hears or thinks of. The second part is an electronic modulator which translates throat movements into the sound cued by the microprocessor.
This allows the user, after 30 seconds of analyzing the desired voice or sound, to imitate it. The quality of the imitation is determined by the user's knowledge of the sound: for instance, if he has grown up with this sound since childhood, he will likely give a perfect imitation, whereas if he has heard it once on a semi-faulty tri-D screen, the quality will suffer. It is up to the referee to determine the quality of the imitation, and how likely the hearers are to be fooled. As an example, perhaps John, equipped with a voice modulator, wishes to scare some primitives with the roar of the Crested Jabberwock. He has only heard such a roar once, ten years ago: the quality will no doubt be awful, unless John has an incredible memory. However, the primitives will probably never have heard a crested Jabberwock before, and would be frightened by even the worst attempt. If, on the other hand, John is completely familiar with the roar, having once worked as a zookeeper, he will be able to give a faultless impression of the Jabberwock to even the natives of Kassan.
The operation to implant a voice modulator is quite simple, and requires only a few days in hospital. The implant and operation cost Cr 500,000.
Note: the voice modulator is illegal on all Imperial worlds with a Law level greater than 4. TL 12
- Third Imperium issue 4