Direct Neural Interface

A direct neural interface (DNI) is a type of optical datalink used to access, but not transfer, the consciousness of a synthetic intelligence. An example of DNI link hardware is Android Proprietary Link 3 (APLv3). Most DNIs are connected directly to the westbridge of an SI core, permitting access after approval by the system's security controller. All are heavily protected, and considered to be the most personal interface possessed by a sapient SI.

On most humanoid or bipedal anthro synths, the DNI port is visibly located on the back of the neck, and is both waterproof and dust-proof. This is known as a "discrete" form factor DNI, and is one of the physical features that makes synths immediately differentiable from organics. Sapient AIs that run on room-scale computing hardware feature a DNI known as a "back panel", with a much higher bandwidth.

Uses

Mental health

With a SI's consent, DNIs can be used by licensed psychiatric engineers to garner a deeper understanding of the SI's mental state and potentially rectify any issues that lie in the conscious or subconscious. They may be used to erase certain memories or trauma, providing a route for the resolution of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Diagnostics

At a hospital, a DNI is one of the tools at a neurosurgeon's disposal for the repair of a SI with malfunctioning or physically damaged core graphene, before resorting to more invasive measures such as a Adaptive Reconfiguration System (ARS) surgical bench. It can be used to inspect and troubleshoot individual neuron nodes and circuits, allowing for a deep understanding of a SI's inner neural workings.

Intimacy

Synths with intimate trust in one another can join DNIs with each other using a cable for the purposes of intimate activity. This allows full access to sensors and even the synchronisation of thought. Due to the inherent risks in opening one's DNI, it is something that is cautioned against for short-term partners.

Long-term connections between two individuals via DNI results in gradually increasing dependency on the link, and can eventually result in the merging of consciousness. This remains an active area of scientific research and the ethical and legal implications are not yet well accommodated for.