Nanite Limits

Nanotechnology is an astoundingly powerful tool that, with the right programming and forethought, can make miracles a reality where otherwise it would be impossible, extremely expensive, or just impractically long to do. They are not without limitations, however. At the heart, they are little machines. They have extremely limited(essentially none) intelligence, individually. They rely on an off site computer to coordinate their efforts with limited cooperative power with local transponding nanites that relay commands and report changing environments.

Weaknesses

The transponder nanites are the weakest point of the nanite chain of command. A sharp burst of EMP interference will cause them to lose connection with the off site computer, or even cause damage to their internal radios. If enough of them are brought offline, the entire nanite mass becomes inert until new transponders can be assembled.

Hard Limits

Creating Life

• Nanites can't work with souls. Strange place to begin, but science hasn't even proven such things exist, and if they did, little flecks of carbon and aluminum are insufficient to get a good handle on one and move it around or manipulate one.
  • Interestingly, if a being is disassembled and reassembled elsewhere, it seems to be entirely functional. Does this mean the soul moved along somehow? Uncertain.
  • If an animal is created from 'nothing', out of neighboring idle molecules, it typically fails to express life, unless it is the replacement for another, dissasembled, creature. There are rare exceptions. Figure the chances to be about 5% of any given corpse being assembled snapping to life within a minute of production. After a minute has passed, the body begins decaying and there's little more to be done.
  • An animal that is copied, without the original being destroyed, is considered the same as from 'nothing' as far as the second copy is concerned.
  • Non sentient Plants do not have this issue, and can be assembled on demand. Microscopic organisms also do not seem to mind being created.

Life Extension

• A body flooded with nanites is like having a dedicated doctor following you around all day, dispensing nutritional advice, administering drugs and performing surgeries, sometimes before you are even aware you need any. The basic upkeep protocol performs the following acts.
  • Assembles raw nutrients from ambient molecules sufficient for life.
    • Not enough to stave off hunger and its ill effects.
  • Is capable of shutting down the body for extreme repair when death would otherwise result.
  • Can assemble and attach new cells, causing massive cellular regeneration, up to and including lost limbs.
  • Keeps arteries and veins whole, plaque free, and elastic
  • Assists with oxygen transfer and waste removal
  • Manufacture missing vital compounds if the body is not producing a sufficient amount
  • Undo radioactivity damage, provided the nanites are not too damaged by the same source.
    • Works better once radioactive source is removed