Psycommu – MechaBay | Gundam Technology

The Psycommu (サイコミュ, Saikomyu), short for Psycho Communicator or Psycho Communication System, was a man-machine interface technology that utilised the psycho waves emitted by Newtypes to control mobile weapons and systems through thought alone. Since it used Minovsky particles as its medium, it remained unaffected by Minovsky particle interference that disrupted conventional electromagnetic communications.

The development of this revolutionary technology began when researchers at the Flanagan Institute detected reactive waves from the brains of their test subjects during Newtype research. In principle, the Psycommu functioned as an interface that translated these reactive waves, dubbed “psycho waves”, into computer language. Because thoughts were transmitted directly to machines, its reaction speed was extremely high, and when experimentally installed in mobile armours it made possible operating these machines more smoothly than with conventional control systems.

History

The first Psycommu prototype was completed by the Principality of Zeon’s Flanagan Institute in October UC 0079, as a means to allow the use of wireless guided weapons under Minovsky particle interference. The Flanagan Institute was established in June UC 0079 at Baldur Bay colony of neutral Side 6 to investigate Newtype phenomena and develop weapons for use by Newtypes.

During the One Year War, Zeon developed and deployed several Psycommu-equipped mobile weapons. However, due to the large size of the Psycommu system, it was initially limited to mobile armours or large-sized mobile suits. To collect data for a Psycommu-equipped mobile suit codenamed “MS-16X Zeong”, Zeon developed three testbed units: a medium fighter, the MAN-03 Braw Bro mobile armour, and the MS-06Z Psycommu System Zaku.

The MAN-08 Elmeth was the first Newtype-use mobile armour designed for actual combat. Both the mobile armour and its weapons were controlled using the Psycommu system, with its greatest feature being its wireless Psycommu weapons known as Bits. Each Bit contained a beam cannon, a reactor, numerous vernier thrusters, and a monoeye sensor. The image received by the monoeye was transmitted to the pilot via Psycommu.

The MSN-02 Zeong represented the culmination of Zeon’s Psycommu research during the One Year War. It featured wire-guided remote-controlled forearms for all-range attacks, with each forearm containing five mega particle cannons mounted in the manipulator fingers. The massive size of 35 metres when fully completed was attributed to the difficulties in miniaturising the Psycommu system.

Following the end of the One Year War, the Earth Federation Forces took over most of the former Principality’s military facilities, including the Flanagan Institute and its research on Psycommu. However, due to fears of Newtype power, all information was classified as top-level military secrets.

Principles

The Psycommu system worked by passively scanning the brainwaves of Newtypes and amplifying them in order to send brainwave signals out over long distances. These signals were then translated into raw machine codes upon being received by the selected object. Since brainwaves were not affected by the radio interference property of Minovsky particles, this enabled the resurrection of beyond-visual-range engagements, with bits and funnels being the first weapons able to engage targets without visual contact since the development of the Minovsky particle.

The system detected “reactive waves” through the systematic anomalies they produced in radio communications under Minovsky particle conditions. These reactive waves, or psycho waves, were similar to regular brainwaves but not electrical in nature. The Psycommu required psycho receptors to be mounted in the pilot’s helmet to detect and amplify these waves.

The Psycommu enabled multiple functions beyond simple remote weapon control. It could control many machines simultaneously, enabling the use of multiple wired mega particle cannons or wireless unmanned bit attack machines to perform all-range attacks. When installed in mobile armours, it made it possible to operate these machines more smoothly than with conventional control systems.

Applications

Military Applications

The primary military application of Psycommu technology was in the development of all-range attack systems. These systems allowed Newtype pilots to control multiple remote weapons simultaneously, creating attack patterns that were nearly impossible to counter with conventional mobile suits. The MAN-08 Elmeth demonstrated this capability by controlling twelve large Bit remote weapons, each equipped with its own reactor and beam cannon.

Wire-guided weapons represented another major application. The MSN-02 Zeong and MS-06Z Psycommu System Zaku both featured detachable forearms connected by control cables that could be operated remotely via Psycommu. These weapons retained full offensive capability while providing tactical flexibility in combat.

The technology also enhanced the overall responsiveness of mobile suits and mobile armours. Psycommu-equipped units could react faster than conventional machines because thoughts were transmitted directly rather than through physical controls, eliminating input lag and allowing for superhuman reaction times.

Civilian Applications

Due to the Earth Federation’s classification of Psycommu as a top-level military secret, civilian applications were extremely limited during the Universal Century. The technology remained restricted to military and defence industry applications throughout its development period.

However, information leaks from Newtype research labs eventually allowed civilian enterprises like Anaheim Electronics to obtain basic knowledge about Psycommu principles. This led to the development of derivative technologies such as the Bio-Sensor, which was designed as a simplified Psycommu system for use in transformable mobile suits.

Advancements

As Psycommu technology evolved, numerous variants with different or additional functions were developed. The Bio-Sensor was described as either a simplified Psycommu or a quasi-Psycommu device, developed by Anaheim Electronics to support mobile suit control systems using the pilot’s brainwaves.

The Quasi-Psycommu System was developed by the Augusta Lab during the Gryps Conflict to allow pilots without Newtype abilities to use wire-guided weaponry. Unlike the standard Psycommu, which relied on wireless psycho wave transmission, the Quasi-Psycommu required physical tethers to transfer weaker brainwave signals from baseline humans.

During the First Neo Zeon War, Axis Zeon developed miniaturised Psycommu systems that could fit into standard mobile suits. The AMX-004 Qubeley featured a compact Psycommu device that placed less strain on the pilot, allowing more Bit weapons to be used simultaneously.

The ultimate evolution of Psycommu technology was the Psycho-Frame, developed during the Second Neo Zeon War. This technology integrated microscopic Psycommu chips directly into the metal frame of a mobile suit at the atomic level, allowing Newtype pilots to control the machine as if it were their own body.

Impact

The development of Psycommu technology revolutionised mobile suit warfare by enabling new tactical concepts previously impossible under Minovsky particle interference. All-range attacks allowed single pilots to engage multiple targets simultaneously, fundamentally changing combat dynamics in space warfare.

The technology also contributed to the ongoing arms race between the Earth Federation and Zeon remnant forces. Each faction sought to develop more advanced Psycommu systems and deploy them in increasingly sophisticated mobile weapons. This competition drove rapid advancement in related fields including miniaturisation, power systems, and remote weapon technology.

Psychologically, Psycommu technology highlighted the growing importance of Newtypes in warfare. The technology’s exclusive compatibility with Newtype pilots led to the development of Cyber Newtype programs and artificial enhancement procedures, raising ethical questions about human experimentation and the militarisation of psychic abilities.

Limitations

The early Psycommu systems suffered from several significant limitations. The most prominent was their enormous size, which restricted installation to large mobile armours or oversized mobile suits. The technology required substantial power and complex hardware arrays that could not be miniaturised with available technology during the One Year War.

The psychological strain placed on pilots represented another major limitation. Extended use of Psycommu systems could be extremely burdensome, with many pilots suffering mental breakdown or psychological damage. The incomplete Psycommu systems in units like the MRX-009 Psycho Gundam and MRX-010 Psycho Gundam Mk-II actually destroyed the minds of many of their pilots.

The technology’s dependence on Newtype abilities severely limited the pool of qualified pilots. Natural Newtypes were rare, and artificial Cyber Newtype programs produced unstable results with high failure rates. This made Psycommu-equipped units valuable but difficult to deploy effectively.

Technical malfunctions occurred frequently due to the unpredictable behaviour of Minovsky particles around Psycommu systems. Even when properly synchronised, the systems often experienced failures for unknown reasons, limiting their reliability in extended combat operations.

Behind the scenes

The Psycommu system was first conceptualised by series creator Tomino Yoshiyuki as a means to explain how remote weapons could function under Minovsky particle interference. The technology drew inspiration from real-world research into brain-computer interfaces and human-machine interaction.

The name “Psycommu” is a portmanteau of “psychic” and “communication”, reflecting its function as a psychic communication system. In Japanese, the system is written as サイコミュ (Saikomyu), which is an abbreviation of サイキック・コミュニケーション (Psychic Communication).

The technology’s development paralleled real-world advances in neuroscience and computer interfaces during the 1970s and 1980s. The concept of directly interfacing human thoughts with machines was a popular theme in science fiction of the era, and Gundam’s interpretation helped establish many conventions for telepathic control systems in mecha anime.

External links

Psycommu on the Gundam Wiki
Universal Century Technology on MAHQ