Soong Foundation

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The Soong Foundation was an organization within the United Federation of Planets. It was a group that was affiliated with the Daystrom Institute and was dedicated with the promotion of the rights of artificial lifeforms.

In 2383, the Foundation begin research on the Mobile holographic emitter in order to create a design of their own for use by civilians. A year later, Starfleet agreed to transfer the Soong-type android B-4 to the Soong Foundation. The machine had been deactivated after its discovery by the USS Enterprise in 2379 but the Foundation had hoped to restore its positronic functions.

In 2385 the organization gained the expertise of Geordi La Forge who requested a long term leave of absence from Starfleet in order to study the android B-4. While examining B-4, the group managed to uncover the Data matrix unlocking the memories, personality and experience of the deceased Commander Data. Once the Data persona took control, he worked to help the Foundation in upgrading his positronic brain as well as recreating the emotion chip. (ST website: The Path to 2409)