Cybernetics

Cybernetics are modifications done to a human body with mechanical elements. They're among the three types of modification, along with genetic engineering and direct biological enhancement. Cybernetics are typically limited, as issues with heat begin to emerge and extensive cooling systems need to be implemented.

Powering

In contrast to the more organic forms of augmentation, cybernetics need to be externally powered. Smaller cybernetics, like the oh so popular brain-computer addon, are powered by a long-lasting battery, often located near the neck or upper torso, strapped to the skin for easy access. This can get somewhat inconvenient if the battery is in a bad place, but generally there is a fair amount of freedom as to where the battery is placed. Some very powerful and large cybernetics like integrated weapons often have their own power sources, be those large batteries or even entire fusion reactors, though rarely. Cybernetic Prosthetics, too, have their batteries attached directly. Larger and less centralized cybernetics often require more specialized forms of power. A network of strengthened muscles may ultimately lead to a large battery in a backpack of sorts, or directly hooked to power armour. There are yet more cybernetics that don't need power at all, or such a miniscule amount they can leech off the body, as it were.

Cooling

Keeping cybernetics cool at all times is vital to avoiding Cyborg Fever, a, well, fever of sorts with varying consequences up to and including death. While this isn't an issue for most people, as they keep cybernetic enhancement low, it can start to ramp up fast, at which point complex and potentially expensive systems will need to be installed.
Local cooling systems are usually not nearly as complex as their full-body counterparts, and most cybernetics need very little. Smaller and less complex cybernetics rarely make a significant difference to natural body temperature variance. Complex cybernetics however need systems to keep cool. Something like a heart preformance enhancer may need direct heat transfer conduits to the surface of the skin, and that's not mentioning full-body cybernetics needing almost another set of veins carrying water from the cybernetics to often the back of the person to be dissipated. These are often somewhat expensive and need complex surgery to install, but allow the user to make use of advanced and very beneficial cybernetics at little risk.

Local Modifications

Local modifications are, well, local cybernetics. They are often only in a single place in the body, and have some specific task. Here are some of the most common ones.

Computer addon: By far the most common form of cybernetic, this computer hooks directly to the brain and enhances thinking, often by preforming calculations and other mechanical thinking tasks that would take the brain longer. These are nearly ubiquitous in human space, and it's rarer to find someone without one than with. Their small size and simple tasks allow it to not need much dedicated cooling, though several strips of conductive material above the skin on the back of the head are a staple of people with this.

Cybernetic Prosthetics: Whether due to an injury or decision, a fair amount of people have prosthetic limbs. Most are artifical muscle fiber -based ones, but the less advanced versions are still common. These are connected to a port of sorts, which in turn connects to the stump, which allows the arm to be removed and replaced easily if need be.

Predictive Analysis Interface: A considerably rarer cybernetic, it is still reasonably common among elite units and high-ranking military people who prefer to fight in the field, like most Cellean military leaders. Allows the user to sense incoming projectiles and soon-to-fire Mass Drivers, allowing them to be dodged or otherwise avoided.

Communication systems: The most common variant of these are ones implanted into a persons throat, near their vocal cords. The augment reads their vocal cords' movement and translates it into speech, which can be transmitted to other nearby receivers. Other, more advanced versions, read the user's brain signals which relate to speech, and transmit that instead.

Cybernetic eyes: There are two main forms of eye augmentation. The cybernetic eye overlay, which is essentially a contact lens with a screen on it, and a full cybernetic eye. Of these the overlay is most common, for obvious reasons. It doesn't replace the eye, but still provides valuable intel and information about various and configurable topics. The full eye replacement replaces the eye, of course, usually after some injury renders it irrevocably damaged. It is more durable and can have more features like a wider range of visible light, zoom, night vision, and the like, but, of course, replaces one's eye.

Organ enhancements: Various types of organ augmentation, be that improving a heart's function like a improved pacemaker, or restoring the function of a kidney, there exists a variety of organ augmentations. Most people prefer biological enhancement for these, like increasing a lung's capacity or adding a redundant heart, but cybernetic modifications aren't uncommon. Stringer's heart pumps much more blood and can sustain a higher rate without danger via a cybernetic modification.

General Modification

These types of cybernetics are much less common, due to requiring extensive surgery to install, but can potentially improve preformance significantly more than local cybernetics ever could.

Muscle strenghtening: A person's major musculature is enhanced by adding artificial muscle fibers near them to function in conjunction with the natural ones, allowing a significant increase in strenght with relatively little extra muscle mass. Due to the nature of the modification, it will invariably need complex, full-body cooling systems, but most view this tradeoff as acceptable.

Bone reinforcement: A rare case of a cybernetic not needing power or generating heat, this consists of simply wrapping the person's bones in c-chain layers, drastically increasing durability. The procedure to install this is generally done via nanomachines that work off of a source of carbon, layering each major bone one at a time.

Nanomachines: While not technically a cybernetic enhancement, it functions similarily. There are various kinds of nanomachines that can modify the human body. There are Life-extending ones, that have to be taken as a dose at specific intervals, usually weekly, that repair or destroy faulty cells and parts of the body the body's natural systems couldn't catch, effectively granting immortality, or at least radically slowed aging. There are also nanomachines that can block out nerve signals to remove the feeling of pain. These often only activate after the user feels pain, and quickly dull it or entirely remove it. Popular in military settings.