Molecular imaging scanners

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The molecular imaging scanner is part of the transporter system, used to scan the object to be transported and convert it to a matter stream.

These devices scan the subject to be transported at quantum resolution, determining the location and momentum of every particle within the subject. Bulk cargo can be scanned at the molecular resolution, as it is not generally vital to recreate the object exactly. Living matter requires that exact information be obtained, a process which violates the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. This is made possible by the Heisenberg Compensator system, a component of the molecular imaging scanners of all personnel transport systems.

Because of its crucial function, if the imaging scanner was off by even one thousandth of a percent, the transport would fail. All transporters are built with four redundant sets of scanners, allowing any three to override a fourth should it make an error. Should two scanners produce the same error the transport process would be aborted automatically by the transport controller system.

The molecular imaging scanner is located above each transporter pad. Some transporter systems also contain clusters of long range molecular imaging scanners within the transporter emitter pad; this allows the system to lock onto targets at long range to beam them from remote locations without outside assistance. Most transporter systems do not include long-range molecular scanners; such transporters can only beam to and from other systems.