From the SR4 source book on page 254-255 it talks about cyberware scanners and MADs. The chart on 254 says that only 1 hit is needed to detect weapons or normal cyberware.

I am wondering how well the scanners work with obvious cyber limbs. What would rolling 0 hits from a scan show? The arm? If not I would think most people would have you go through the scan again till the arm (and by the same result any weapon) showed up on the scan.

Do scanner indicate that the person has cyberware or more specifically what cyberware they have? If the PC had multiple cyber components and the scanner result is 1 success do all components show up or does the scanner just indicate the presence of cyberware? If someone had an obvious cyberlimb and a streetline special and they set off a scanner, would the security guards be more likely to wave the person through since obviously the arm would set off the alarm? (Figure a more common place with checks where many people traverse back and forth).

I am wondering do cyber limbs help mask any weapon hidden inside the limb.

If the PC has an obvious cyber arm with a holdout pistol installed, would 1 hit show the pistol? (The book mentions that most parts are non-metallic and the metallic parts are built into the arm - pg 336)

If the PC has an obvious cyberleg with body enhancements, armor enhancements, strength enhancements, and a cyberholster with a gun would the 1 success still pick up the weapon?

Does 1 hit reveal wired reflexes, reaction enhancers, implanted commlinks, cybereyes, etc. etc.?

Finally a non-cyber question related to scanners. How do people detect bioware? If a runner is picked up by Lone-Star how does Lone-Star determine if they have an illegal (or restricted without a permit) bioware mod? I don't think Lone Star would perform a medical operation on each meta they process.

Thank you.

By my understanding, 1 hit shows the presence of cyberware. Multiple pieces raise the threshold for identification.

Edit: IIRC, the only way to detect bioware is through blood tests, and Assensing

Cyberware scanner p. 255
"If the threshold
is reached, the scanner detects the item/implant and notes
its general locations and type; additional hits provide more
detail (function, model, grade, etc.)."

One note on the Cyberware Scanner Table on page 254. The Modifiers column adds to the devices dice pool therefore making it easier to detect implants when there are more implants.

In my opinion I would treat the weapon inside a limb as requiring increased threshold to detect.

Sure they scored half-a-dozen hits on the test, but that Fake License just paid for itself.

My suspicion would be that anyone with obvious cyberware would be looked at a lot harder than those without. They tend to be troublemakers. A lot like a shaved-head guy wearing steel toed boots with gang tattoos on him trying to get in these days. And people who do things like work as bouncers typically know all the common tricks. They have seen them before, there have training materials on them and they are not stupid. They know what could be hidden in a cyberlimb.

The typical thing that I would expect if you set off a scanner would be they you would be frisked and then more carefully examined by a handheld system that is much more sensitive.

This assumes that they really care and are not just pretending to be screening.

The assensing table is a good idea of information per threshold.

1 absense or presense
2 general location
3 specific devices
4 detailed info on all devices
5 TMI - They have nano tatoos and hair implants, and a surgery to correct a nervous tick in their left eye