Design and Operation:

Among the complex computer systems aboard any Starship, the handiest and most practical facet for most crewmembers is the appropriately named PADD.

The development and evolution of the Personal Access and Display Device has been one of the greatest spurs of crewmembers' ease of work and functionality in their shipboard tasks. It has freed UFED personnel from mounted computer interfaces and terminals, and made it easier for them to communicate and transfer information.

The PADD is extremely powerful and, if properly configured for conn interface, it could even be used to fly the entire Starship from any location from crew quarters to a corridor - if memory and display units were no problem. This ability reflects the UFED design goal of making handheld devices able to access any file or program in line with the user's security clearance

Construction:

The standard PADD design features a basic three-layered construction of embedded circuit-composite materials that are no more than 1 cm thick in total. A casing of boronite whicker epoxy carries the primary electronics bonded on, including the multi-layered screen; it provides protection even when dropped from a height of up to 35 meters.

Components:

The PADD includes three replaceable elements:

the isolinear memory chip, the subspace transceiver array (STA) and the sarium power loop.

Power:

The fully charged sarium cell provides 16 hours of operation and is normally induction recharged when off-duty. When near exhaustion, it automatically flags the main computer to transfer its task to a working unit.

Memory Capacity:

Memory capacity of the isolinear chip is 4.3 kiloquads. Like the tricorder, the PADD can dump its memory to a main computer in less than a second. Finally, the STA allows a data link between the PADD and the ship's computer over the same range as a communicator. This means that away teams can use PADDs, which can also provide a transporter lock-on signal.

PADDs can also share computing functions and data transmissions with any other UFED device employing comm protocols (read IR transmissions) as used for STA devices. As with the communicator, such transmissions are secured by encryption.

Interface:

A user interface is provided by both built-in electro-sensitive areas of the casing and touch areas on the screen. These are operated like any other multi-layer panel found in modern starships. The interface areas are designed for specific data manipulation and storage functions, and can be used to personalize the default setup and offer a corresponding security restriction to a single user.

Custom models can be fabricated aboard a Galaxy-Class Starship or any other replication facility equipped with custom isolinear circuit programming capability.

The earliest models of PADDs measured a standard 10 x 15 centimeters and contained a display area 4.25 times larger than that of a tricorder, with generic control interface areas marked in brown. Later models have varied in shape and size, with some offering larger screens and even more designed control surfaces. The smallest PADDs are little more than palm-sized; the largest are the size of a large tray. In all models, the screens allow the user to control the PADD through a graphical interface.