How the Bio Helmet Works

[Sara]

The books explain it a lot better. They use their mandibles to access most of the functions. They have little switches on the insides of the bios and the blades respond to the movement i.e. when they flex their wrists a certain way. As for the caster, they activate it either with their mandibles or by using a switch, it depends on what rank they are in the caste system as to what they are allowed to access via the bio.

Ditto.

Also, I think this might be of interest to the conversation, regarding current technology available for those who need to manipulate prosthetics:

A more advanced way to control a prosthetic limb is by listening to muscles remaining in the residual limb that the patient can still contract. Because muscles generate small electrical signals when they contract, electrodes placed on the surface of the skin can measure muscle movements. Although no buttons are physically pressed by the muscles in this case, their contractions are detected by the electrodes and then used to control the prosthetic limb -- in a way similar to the switch control method that was just described. Prosthetic limbs that function in this way are called myoelectric.

So, for a three-mandibled Pred (like Wolf) the bio might be able to read the residual muscle contractions and flexings from tissue that still tries to move, even though the mandible they controlled no longer exists. Perhaps a flex up, or down, inward, outward, can manipulate other functions.

In the case of weaponry coming from the wrist, it too can also be reading muscle movement of the arm it's attached to, to get commands from the user. Hate to cite the AVP movie but Scar did a pretty good job manipulating his arm to sheath his (ridiculously LARGE *drool*) wrist blade.

In the first movie the Predator unsheathed his wrist blades in a similar muscle-moving fashion.

 

[hez1]

In P2 didn't we see our pred playing with his wrist comp right before changing vision modes? Anyway, I'd go with mandible movements, or sound. The only argument I can think of against sound is that the Predators are stealthy hunters...and what's the first thing that a stealthy hunter learns? Don't make any sound.

As far as Wolfs missing mandible goes...if humans can adapt a car so it can be driven by someone who can't use their legs, I'm sure Preds can come up with something to allow a mandibly challenged Predator to select a few bio options.

 

[MasterAnubis]

OK, the fun is officially sucked out of this thread....

This might help with it.
This is how a Predator makes selections...myoelectrics be damned

 

[Guan Thwei]

OK, the fun is officially sucked out of this thread....
This might help with it.
This is how a Predator makes selections...myoelectrics be damned

Leave it to you MasterAnubis to find research pertaining to almost anything Predator

You know looking @ this helmet device the sides remind me of the mandibles of a Predator, so I guess that puts this thread and question to R.I.P

 

[MonkeyRaff]

The answer is: it's a movie!

 

[Usurper]

MonkeyRaff answers for the win lol.

 

[Guan Thwei]

The answer is: it's a movie!

That is what mostly Star Wars and Star Trek was, but look what the Fanboys & Trekkors gave us. The communicator from Star Trek is now our Cell phones and we can't live w/o them. Their is a research facility I can't remember where or the name that are actually working on the twin ion engine (TIE) technology from Star Wars. What once was imagination is now an almost definite reality.

 

[Usurper]

The debate is good, but you cannot CLAIM its been answerd and the thred is RIP, it was never explained by the films ,not book or bloody comics . which whether you like it or not is the ONLY genuine background to this and other questions we have.
the mystique of the creature, as has been said many many times before is part of the appeal, we do not need to have every single aspect of the creature explained, as you only cheapen it, by making **** up hehe.

Hez brings up good points about the P2 using the guantlet , but also stealth would maybe rule out voice, maybe its more eye activated, as optical input onto a hud could be more plausible than brainwaves.

who knows eh

 

[hellonearth]

In P2 didn't we see our pred playing with his wrist comp right before changing vision modes? Anyway, I'd go with mandible movements, or sound. The only argument I can think of against sound is that the Predators are stealthy hunters...and what's the first thing that a stealthy hunter learns? Don't make any sound.

As far as Wolfs missing mandible goes...if humans can adapt a car so it can be driven by someone who can't use their legs, I'm sure Preds can come up with something to allow a mandibly challenged Predator to select a few bio options.

mandibly challenged sorry, i have two cents myself guys. now, im almost positive, and i couldn't tell you which comic it's in, but im almost certain that somewhere in there it says, pretty much "and with a silent command to it's plasma caster..." and so on. gotta have implants in them bitches.

i don't believe verbal would be the best bet, combat would get way to complicated, you don't want your **** misfiring cause you coughed or something.

mandible operation... id say maybe to activate certain functions, maybe the mimickery , but you wouldn't want to have to use your mandibles to do something in the middle of battle, got enough to worry about. but in P2 the pred totally pushes some buttons before his visions started changing, i dunno.

as far as the armblades, i would definitely think its in the muscles, some pressure sensors on the inside of the gauntlet, and as far as grabbin a soda and blades going through the hands? in i think it was the first world war (correct me if im wrong about the era) the fighter planes had the front blades of the plane attached to a gear system that connected to the machine guns making it to where the gun could not fire while the blade was in front of the gun, so hopefully preds would have a similar sensor that would be able to tell if his hand is in the way, and if not, learn it's lesson, patch your hand up and move on

over all i do believe that certain hunting tools and gear are earned. even the grade of metal im sure is a factor i.e. rank and so on.

 

[Sara]

the mystique of the creature, as has been said many many times before is part of the appeal, we do not need to have every single aspect of the creature explained, as you only cheapen it, by making **** up hehe.

Then by your "logic" other properties such as LOTR, Star Wars and Star Trek are cheaper than tinsel. "Making up" facts is like claiming that rainbows and hearts shoot flamboyantly out of their phallic-shaped shoulder cannons, which is not what intelligent people are doing here, and that's making intelligent guesses.

And you're way too late on trying to prevent the Predator property from becoming "cheap": they've tried to sell action figures of an R rated movie, for children. AVP's PG-13 already solidifies the chintzy dollar-store feel of our ~~*Mystique*~~ Predators. Teehee.

 

[hez1]

Then by your "logic" other properties such as LOTR, Star Wars and Star Trek are cheaper than tinsel. "Making up" facts is like claiming that rainbows and hearts shoot flamboyantly out of their phallic-shaped shoulder cannons, which is not what intelligent people are doing here, and that's making intelligent guesses.

Not quite the same I'd say. LOTR is one of the best examples of World Building in a book that you will find anywhere. The fans don't NEED to make anything up, because Tolkien already came up with everything for them. It's all back there in the Appendices, from lineages to how to speak elvish. Star Wars too there is a lot more info from the horses mouth (Lucas) on how things work, or at least how he imagines them working. Star Trek I don't particularly care for and know less about it, but I know there is a lot more information out there to fall back on than there is with Predator.

Discussions like this can be fun, so long as everyone realises that nothing will ever be set in stone, and that their ideas are just that. Ideas. You want to make a set of bio internals working off the principle of mandible movement? Go right ahead, and we'll all ooh and aah over it when you're done. Want to do one based on thought control? That's super too.

As to the comics/books...well, that's all out of the authors head. In the same fashion as the Star Wars books, I tend to ignore most of what goes on in them and concentrate on the movies. If it's not explained...well, I can live with it. After all, it's only a movie. Though yes, they can be good reads.

as far as the armblades, i would definitely think its in the muscles, some pressure sensors on the inside of the gauntlet, and as far as grabbin a soda and blades going through the hands? in i think it was the first world war (correct me if im wrong about the era) the fighter planes had the front blades of the plane attached to a gear system that connected to the machine guns making it to where the gun could not fire while the blade was in front of the gun, so hopefully preds would have a similar sensor that would be able to tell if his hand is in the way, and if not, learn it's lesson, patch your hand up and move on

You're quite right about the machine gun thing...that was how it worked...in theory. I've read quite a few accounts from pilots at the time who said that in practice they would land to find several holes in their propellors. No doubt it was better than if the system hadn't been there at all, but nothing is perfect.

 

[Usurper]

as HEZ said the books on star wars/star trek are authors guess work, and do cheapen them imo, the films are again the only true background , the rest is guess work.

but hey each to his or her own

 

[Naasad Tal]

ok so it looks as though this thread has gone just a tad off topic...the point is that our beloved Hunter doesnt have NEAR the following that Star Wars, Star Trek & even LOTR has managed to aquire. The fact that the literature about the Predator's culture, tech, etc doesnt exsist is why these thread are so important to us hardcore fans. me personally, I would LOVE to see more info about the Predator, but the problem is, it just doesnt exsist. So we as fans have to fill in the holes (necessity is the mother of invention). These threads are ALL purely speculation so, no ONE person is correct (unles someone has met a Predator & is keeping one HELLOVA secret!!!) & as it has been said before "to each his/her own". When it comes down to it, we are all friends here & if we can all put our egos away & get back to what brought us all here in the first place...the baddest hunter in the galaxy...maybe we can put our minds together & give ourselves the info that we need to satisfy our lust for this culture that has totally consumed us all.

...ok now back to the topic at hand...

...as for MasterAnubis' comment about the soda...you use different muscles when you have something in your hand (even when gripping something tightly) than you do when making a fist & if the pressure switch is in the right place it will sense which action you are doing & thus avoid the accidental wristblade piercing...although the thought about WW2 planes gun system has merit as well. if there was someway to wire a failsafe system into a plane...these masters of tech & weaponry surely must have figured out one for their own devices...

...lead on guys

 

[MasterAnubis]

I guess I was misunderstood. It doesn't matter if it's the original author/creator that handles the work and expands on it. It's different companies that own these properties. Any large entity can buy an entire collection for a few million. So where's the sanctity in them now?

The good thing in all this is that there is expanded material for the Predator franchise. No amount of bitching is going to take that away. Nowadays they are willing to hire anyone with a high school diploma to write them a Predator novel. If there's a demand then they are going to feed it.

Your right there's no sanctity at all. Its a franchise. Most mediums adapt the tech to the story as needed. How many times have they said "We would have done it differently if we had..."?
*cough* *cough* Star Wars *cough*

Anyone remember the Highlander sieries? Each movie of any franchise can be stand alone if 'they' decide it can.

As far as stories go... If a story is writen by someone not involved in the original, doesn't that make it Fan-Fiction? If the fanchise owners except it then the fans have a choice to except it or disregaurd it and enjoy what left.

Anyway...
Yep, I think the wrist blade-hand relationship is 'self correcting'. Meaning if you do it once, you won't do it again.

I still like the tongue control chip. That could explain why they have such raspy voices. Although you don't see them drink anything. They're parched and have something in there mouth. hmmm.

 

[hez1]

Anyway...
Yep, I think the wrist blade-hand relationship is 'self correcting'. Meaning if you do it once, you won't do it again.

You mean like it's hard to do anything again after accidentally shooting two 12" blades through your head?

 

[Usurper]

good god, one itchy scalp episode could be fatal

 

[Bovine13]

If I ever get to see Stan Winston in the after life I am gonna ask him how the Preds interact with their armor and weapons, cause he is the only one who knows. But, he will probobly tell me to go jump off a cloud.

You cant compare the Predator franchise to any other like SW or LOTR. Like it was said a lot of the backstory and history is laid out for us. Only till AVP did we here of any kind of hisory lesson on the Predators. I myself like the tie into the pyramids and human history. I agree with that the haze that shrouds their culture and technology adds to the creatures appeal. Only when we dont understand something do we try to come up with our own answers...even if we have no base for our conclusions. And only after we fabricate our on answers do we lose the fear and unknowns that drew us in in the first place. I'll keep my Preds covered in mystery and sit back and watch them do what they do best....hunt....with all those cool weapons and armor that I have no idea how they work.