PASIV Device Thought Dump
It’s been five years, but I still have a hard time coming to terms with the relationship between the PASIV Device, Somnacin, and Shared Dreams. “Portable Autonomous Somnacin Intravenous” Device is straightforward enough -- the machine administers the Somnacin/derivatives/generics, and these drugs must theoretically do all the heavy-lifting in facilitating shared dreaming. Somehow. My pet-theory (since Christopher Nolan seems to hand-wave the entire topic) is that the fluid triggers close-range telepathy. (The PASIV’s wires are only 12-feet long, so perhaps at a distance any greater than 24-feet the telepathic connection between two sleepers becomes very tenuous or impossible?) But the PASIV is nothing more than a sexy IV drip. This ubiquitous and iconic item in the film is simply a means of keeping everyone equally drugged for the duration of the job and preventing overdose.
The first feature listed in the official PASIV Manual is this:
“Configurable control settings for the accurate monitoring and adjustment of Somnacin dosage levels.”
It’s the ‘configurable’ bit that puzzles me. The heart of the device -- the LED timer and the synchronized injection piston -- is not explained particularly well.
“Adjust the dosage level by pressing either of the two white buttons on either side of the LED display. Dosages are automatically converted from flow rate (mL/hr) to practical time”
-- suggest that these buttons cannot increase how many mL of fluid per hour are given, only the duration for which it will be administered. No one can get a ‘stronger dose’, they can only be kept under longer by increasing the time on the LED timer.
There would not appear to be any means of tampering with the flow rate... except for the Synchronization Monitoring Chip (M in the diagram):
“The chip monitors and automatically adjusts flow output at registered levels. Monitoring chips can be removed and attuned off-unit.”
This chip would presumably allow Arthur a trained engineer to up the dosage by allowing more somnacin to be injected over the course of a job. The chip looks pretty stuck in there to me, as if it is installed with specific factory settings. There doesn’t seem to be a way of tampering with the settings directly on the device; one would probably have to unscrew the cover, remove the chip, and use a computer program to modify the flow amount for a specific compound.
I can’t imagine many reasons for doing this, assuming there is a recommended flow rate for standard-issue Somnacin when it is administered in the suggested setting, i.e. reclined position, dimmed lights, quiet space and/or the use of earplugs; if one is not administering the drug in ideal conditions, strengthening the dosage might increase stability (to a degree, of course, before people start slipping into comas). With Somnacin knock-offs and derivatives, however, there is probably a greater need to fiddle with the flow rate, as these fluids might need to be administered in different amounts.
As a side note, I love how the PASIV comes with this:
That means there are definitely enough knock-off brands of the stuff floating around out there in the underground dreamshare world for the organization/military body which designs (designed?) PASIV devices to officially caution using them. But again, the discussion of Somnacin is for another post.
“C” on LJ has a great post about the job potential and history of dreamshare, and I really like their theory that there are very few original PASIV devices in existence, and Arthur possesses (read: stole) one of them. I think Cobb probably has one too. As for the knockoff devices, the only thing separating them from the originals is probably something like the durable nanocomposite polymer case, which is probably really expensive and isn’t readily manufactured (but I’m no chemist) -- that and the über-cool collection value of the originals :P
It should also be noted that removal from the PASIV does not necessarily bring a person out of the dream/back to consciousness. During the Cobol Job, Arthur does a lot of fiddling with the PASIV to keep Saito under, making the device seem unnecessarily crucial to the continuance of the shared dream -- but really Arthur could have just stabbed Saito with a syringe of somnacin to achieve the same temporary effect, assuming he knew what amount to administer safely. According to the Shooting Script, as they are ditching the train compartment:
“Arthur: I can keep him [Saito] under for one minute — ARTHUR HITS A BUTTON — A PLUNGER DEPRESSES. COBB RIPS THE TAPE OFF SAITO’S WRISTS, ROLLS UP HIS TUBES.”
This indicates that Arthur has just administered a tiny amount of somnacin that will be injected into Saito instantly, allowing Saito to stay under for a minute or two despite the fact that he has been removed from the PASIV, allowing Arthur and Cobb to make their escape.
