Object
Data's Tricorder
A palm‑held Starfleet tricorder with a matte alloy casing, narrow diagnostic emitter and compact display. Data carries it clipped or in hand, sweeping a thin sensor beam across ruined corridors, plant tissue, and unconscious bodies. The device clicks and emits clipped tones as numeric readouts and visual traces appear, guiding Data and the team through forensic scans, atmospheric checks, and medical triage.
64 appearances
Purpose
Handheld environmental, medical, and investigative scanner used to detect life signs, atmospheric composition, radiation, and structural/biological anomalies to inform tactical, medical, and retrieval decisions.
Significance
The tricorder drives discovery and decision-making: it turns absence into evidence (confirming no animal life), ties Riker's wound to a rhizomatous predator, identifies Ian as a source of dangerous radiation, and converts scientific observation into urgent action—escalating stakes and shaping choices under risk.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used