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VISOR

Closeups of a VISOR.

A VISOR (Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement) was a device used by blind individuals to give them a form of sight. The VISOR sensed signals across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and transmitted them to the sensory centers of user's brain via delta-compressed wavelengths ("transmitting the electromagnetic spectrum electronically to the brain"). (TNG episode: "The Naked Now", TNG episode: "The Enemy", TNG video game: The Transinium Challenge)

History and specifications[]

VISOR technology had been developed and in use by 2257. At that time the VISOR consisted of the eye-piece connected to modules that were fitted to a user's head and neck. (DSC episode: "Brother")

Geordi La Forge, who was blind at birth, received his first VISOR sometime after his fifth birthday. By then the technology improved to the point that the eye-piece was the only external part of the VISOR. (TNG episode: "Hero Worship")

The VISOR was a very taxing prosthetic to wear because of the amount of energy it used and the painfully large amount of information it sent to the human brain. La Forge was one of the few individuals who was able to successfully function with a VISOR. (TNG novel: Ghost Ship)

In 2364, the VISOR was found to be susceptible to interference from the mineral transinium; a slight distortion occurred while on-board the Enterprise in the Aquila system, however on any of the planets or asteroids, the VISOR quit functioning. (TNG video game: The Transinium Challenge)

In 2368, Romulan agents used La Forge's VISOR interface to brainwash him, and impel him to make an assassination attempt on Klingon Governor Vagh. (TNG episode: "The Mind's Eye")

In 2369 La Forge had to adjust his VISOR to compensate for electromagnetic feedback caused by solar flare activity on the planet Riat. (TNG comic: "Light of the Day")

Additionally, in 2369 La Forge needed to have his VISOR and associated implants removed after eating Velexian grain. This grain was actually composed of small machines that were designed to help heal an individual according to their DNA. As La Forge's DNA did not contain any information about his implants, the machines attacked the implants, requiring Doctor Crusher to remove them. After several days the machines stopped working, and La Forge was sent to a starbase and had his implants successfully reinstalled. (TNG novel: Foreign Foes)

In 2371, Dr. Tolian Soran installed a microtransmitter in La Forge's VISOR, enabling his allies Lursa and B'Etor to receive visual transmissions from inside the USS Enterprise-D, leading to that ship's destruction. (TNG movie: Generations)

Given the incidents of La Forge's VISOR being used against him, Admiral Jeremiah Hayes declared the VISOR a security risk, and compelled La Forge to either undergo ocular implant surgery or be transferred to a less sensitive post. Dr. Crusher also explained to La Forge that ocular implants used new bio-neural technology which was a vast improvement over the previous Aroeste interface used in VISORs and ocular implants before the 2370s. These advanced allowed for faster processing, and a closer approximation of human vision. Wanting to stay on the Enterprise and having learned of the advancements, La Forge decided to undergo the ocular implant surgery. (TNG eBook: The Insolence of Office)

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