Made in Space
Outer Space / Society / Technology

The technique of manufacturing products using the microgravity and high vacuum nature of outer space. Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals was the first drug company to develop Made in Space versions of drugs such as interferon and urokinase, achieving rapid success. Most of the microgravity manufacturing technology used to produce Made in Space products – everything from pharmaceuticals to new synthetic materials and zero G kits – is patented, and therefore controlled, by Tokugawa. This new field of business, which has made products more desirable simply by being made under weightlessness, is known as the microgravity business, and is the hottest industry today after the bio sector. Furthermore, applying the principles of zero gravity to bio technology has given birth to another industry called the space bio sector.

The Tokugawa Group famously purchased the Mir space station from Russia at the beginning of the 21st century, using it to develop pharmaceuticals under microgravity.

Mars, first manned mission to
Outer Space / Society / Technology

A joint project between Japan, America, and Russia, carried out in 2012 behind the words, "Onward to Mars." The four participating astronauts, which included Jonathan Ingram, who was undergoing his Policenauts training at the time, were the first human beings to land on Mars, spending a considerable amount of time there. The project was funded by the governments of the 3 participating countries as well as various private corporations, leading some to call the project more of a business trip than a scientific expedition. The astronauts traveled in a separate ship from their cargo, employing the so-called dedicated cargo ship method. The entire return trip, including the time spent on Mars, took approximately 1.5 years. The voyage also gathered attention with its use of the first large-scale spaceship to employ its own artificial gravity.

The astronauts famously encountered the rover Sojourner on the surface, which was sent to Mars in 1996 as part of the Mars Pathfinder mission. The first manned Mars mission was the biggest space event since the first Apollo landing in 1969, generating interest from all over the world.

masked transplantation
Life Science / Technology

A transplant method that does not affect the recipient's immune system by masking an organ's class I HLA antigens with antibody fragments before transplantation. This method has eliminated the occurrence of rejection reactions with organ transplants, previously their biggest problem.

The development of masked transplantation, in addition to ending the age of Tokugawa's revolutionary immunosuppressive drug, cypusloidine, greatly changed the image surrounding organ transplants as well.

mass catcher
Outer Space / Technology

A device that catches materials launched by the mass driver. Also known as a bucket cone. Built around a net employing electromagnetic force, it can slow payloads to a stop without even touching them. In addition, the catch frame has its own search laser, enabling it to catch materials accurately and safely. Materials caught are then sent to L4 and L5 via cargo ship.

mass driver
Outer Space / Technology

A linear motor-driven catapult used for transporting materials. Located on the Moon, its acceleration system allows its payloads to reach escape velocity and break free from the Moon's gravity, making it an economical way to transport Lunar minerals and other materials out into space.

There are 2 components to the mass driver – the guideway and the buckets. The guideway contains a series of wire propulsion coils positioned along its surface, and the buckets, or the capsules that carry the payloads until they reach the end of the guideway, contain levitation coils underneath them. The bottom of the buckets are also outfitted with superconductive magnets, with an alternating current sent through both them and the guideway. The strong repellant force of the electromagnetic field created is used to accelerate the buckets along the guideway; as the bucket nears the center of a propulsion coil, the coil is switched off and the next one switched on, until the bucket reaches the end of the guideway, at which point it releases its payload out into space at a speed of just over 1.5 miles per second. Since the mass driver does not require any type of fuel, such as liquid hydrogen or liquid oxygen, its operating costs are much lower than a rocket-based system.

massquito
Life Science / Technology

A micromachine medical robot jointly developed by Tokugawa Heavy Industries and Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals. A portmanteau of the words "mass" and "mosquito". Designed to resemble and behave like the mosquito, it is intended for use in drawing blood from people or animals for blood exams as well as administering shots. It is also being studied for possible use as a replacement for biological pesticides, since it would not disturb the CELESS. However, a series of accidents and ethical questions have prevented it from being officially permitted for any use. More than serving the medical world, the massquito has instead helped advance micromachine technology.

master-slave manipulator
Outer Space / Technology

A system for controlling a machine via a device that reads human movement. The introduction of EMPS has made this type of control system a reality. Originally developed to try to make possible teleexistence, for work in extreme areas. The subtle movement of the muscles in the operator's body is transformed into mechanical movement; conversely, it allows for more precise operation by transferring the sensation of any objects around the machine to the operator's sense of touch. It also features a joint structure free from any singular points, which had imposed limits on the capabilities of previous manipulators.

Maximum
Culture and Sports / Society

A major fast food restaurant chain first started in outer space that specializes in hamburgers. Hamburgers are easy to eat in space and other weightless areas, hence the company's choice of menu items. One can find a Maximum restaurant in nearly every space station today, and in many areas of Earth as well. Also known for its establishment of an automated drive-thru for Amphibians in a remote area of the solar system 3 years ago. It offers 2 types of meal packs – a 1G Pack and a Zero G Pack. Its most popular food is the calburger, which is high in calcium.

medical accessory
Culture and Sports / Life Science / Society / Technology

A DDS fashion accessory built out of an alloy containing a particular drug, which is absorbed into the body at the points of contact between the skin and the metal. Many types are available, including rings, bracelets, and earrings. A number of medical professionals are concerned that with conventional medical treatments such as pills, which require regular doses, there is the possibility that patients might forget to take a dose, which would reduce the effectiveness of the medication. With a medical accessory, all patients have to do is simply wear it to ensure they get the proper dosage of their medication.

The designs of medical accessories have been gradually refined over the years, to the point where they cannot be distinguished from normal fashion accessories. Some are even more desirable than normal accessories, with one in particular, a bracelet for treating peptic ulcers devised by a famous fashion company, achieving widespread popularity with its creative design. However, since they are only issued for medical purposes and are not sold to the general public, there have been numerous cases in recent history of young women intentionally developing an ulcer just so they can wear one.

medical industry separation
Life Science / Society

A medical system where a doctor performs a diagnosis and issues a prescription that is then filled separately by a pharmacist. Under this system, there must be a consensus between the doctor and the pharmacist regarding the prescription, which helps prevent doctors from over-prescribing drugs. There is a growing number of people calling for this system to be implemented on space colonies, where over-prescription is a common occurrence.

micromachine
Life Science / Technology

A micro-sized machine, several hundredths of 1 millimeter to several centimeters in size, composed of micro-sized mechanical parts and drive mechanisms. Examples include various micro-sized medical robots; the massquito, developed by Tokugawa Heavy Industries and Tokugawa Pharmaceuticals, is a type of micromachine. A more common type of machine is a nanomachine, its use of organic parts allowing it to be even smaller than a micromachine.

Miranda rights
Society

Also known as the Miranda warning. The legal rights that must be explained to a suspect when they are arrested. This law also applies on Beyond Coast. The warning, while differing by jurisdiction, typically is as follows:

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to be speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you if you so desire."

Moon face
Outer Space / Society

One of the adaptation phenomena of zero gravity, where bodily fluids such as blood become concentrated in the head and the chest, causing a person's face to swell slightly and appear chubbier than it does under 1G. The blood of the cardiovascular system is moved throughout the body almost as much by gravity as it is by the pumping action of the heart; the same applies to the lymphatic system, which has no central pump and moves under low pressure via peristalsis. Therefore, it is said that in weightlessness, the head and the chest contain approximately 2 liters more fluid than they do when under 1G.

This collection of fluid in the upper half of the body also causes the lower half of the body to appear thinner, the phenomenon known as bird leg.

Moon Treaty
Outer Space / Society

An agreement opened for signature in the United Nations General Assembly on December 18th, 1979, declaring that the Moon, along with the rest of outer space, is to be used only for peaceful purposes. It also states that the Moon, other celestial bodies, and their natural resources are the shared property of all mankind. Its official name is The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. Among other declarations, it strictly prohibits the construction of military bases and facilities, military exercises, weapons testing, and the use of physical force upon, or threats toward, any celestial body. America and Japan were originally non-signatories, but later joined the agreement in the 21st century when Moon development restarted. Nearly every country active in space exploration and development today is a signatory of this agreement.

Moonsault
Culture and Sports / Society

A high-proof vodka cocktail popular on Earth. Called a Moonsault because drinkers say it makes them feel as if they are doing a somersault on the Moon. Created accidentally in Kobe, Japan, when a pharmacology student wanted to see how much alcohol the human bloodstream could withstand.

This is the same type of cocktail the main character in Snatcher drinks at Outer Heaven.

multi-process story
Culture and Sports

A development process created to experiment with how best to combine a game's story with its interactivity. Previous adventure games have primarily used the idea of multiple endings to expand a game's interactivity, but this method does not let all players experience the best possible story the game has to offer. Policenauts takes the completely opposite approach, keeping the basic framework of the game the same, thereby allowing all players to appreciate the game's story and themes to their fullest, and instead changing small elements of the game's content in response to the player's pace and actions throughout the course of the game.

With this method, a player's individual actions, no matter how minute, are reflected in the game's dialogue and events, while the basic story and themes remain unchanged. This helps draw the player into the game and also allows the developers to fine-tune the story and ending in one fashion.

This method, previously used in Snatcher, has now been further developed with Policenauts. It could be said it has offered up one possibility for the future of interactive cinema.