Hey, check this out!

Brain dishes driving airplanes!

Do we have this in SR?

Sure!
Remote Rigging

Remember that the drone auto pilots, robotic pilots, and car autonav systems may actually be 'semi biologic', it hardly matters as far as the rules are concerned.

Well i was thinking that if it wasn't very common, it could prove interesting for some run ideas. The thing is that with more experienced people than me in SR it would be pretty lame to come up with a run like this and get told in the middle of a session that they already exist and are pretty common in SR

Of course a run with the standard ultra new tech is doable anyways, but this kind if things might add some nice flavour instead of saying, a "super new cool tech" tm.

Certainly not the usual life or death rule question

Just make it a Rigger character that has no actual meatbody.

If such things exist:

Where do the brain slices come from? Maybe that nice ED-robot has parts of your former buddy?


Birdy (Fondly remembering Dark Conspiracy)

This sounds like something Dr. Halberstam has been working on.

For those who haven't read Threats, he's the guy who created biological knowbots - the brains of kids plugged right into the matrix. I don't think that plugging a brain into a VCR would be that far a leap from what has already been done.

As for game terms, I have no idea how to work it...

Start with a blind, deaf, quadripalegic gnome and start cutting off the useless parts. Even if it ends up a head and most of a torso in a double cost life support system, that's a close start.

I'm a little fuzzy on the rules for this but I know that it can be done and that it is fairly easy. If I remember right the only time that you lose Essence is when you have something installed or replaced not when it's shot off, blown off, cut off, etc. so if you make a character that was born with no limbs you still technically have full Essence. I have to check with someone who actually figured out how to do this and can let you know his approach in a few days.

It's not really needed.

All he needs is the Riggers abilities on paper, a cabinate control system that houses all the junk that would normally be in the body as cyberware for rigging, and the only thing actually installed in the brain would be a datajack which it could easily handle.

I would give just the brain an active essence of around 1 or so, but that's all you really need.

The rest is set-up as part of the vehicle since it was intended that this little dish-brain pilot the damn thing.

Really, hell...I'd take one along as a co-pilot if I was a rigger everytime just for extra kicks!
Imagine that conversation through the datajack linkup via thought process with the brain!
"Fuck you! You know what it's like not having a body!?"
"Well, not really...but I'm sure Timmy (the troll in the group) can tell you what it's like not having you...hey, you want to try moving residence?"
"Fuck off asshole!"
"hey...that's no way to talk to your friend...hey do you mind dropping the landing gear?"

heh, that's a good one stumps. reminds me of the Dixie Flatline from Neuromancer.

Isn't this "brain in a dish" the whole basis for cyberware? I mean what we have here is a biological/electronic interface. It would be probably cultured cells which give sort of mini controllers for all the tiny movements that any cyberware might make. All you need to do is make it human neural cells rather than rat ones.

lodestar....I don't think he was trying to suggest a cyberware-bot.

I think he was refering to the idea of an auto piloted vehicle by just a brain. No body needed.

Think of it like this.
Nightrider's "Kit"(the 'personality' of the car) but instead of A.I. it's actually a brain that's hardwired into the system.

Kind of makes falling in love with your car a little more realistic doesn't it?
"Morning Judy, how you doing?"
"I'm cold, but I'm looking forward to you reving me up!"