A Planetary Union comscanner with the scanner out.
A comscanner is a multi-purpose, handheld communications and scanning device used by many advanced civilizations of the early 25th century such as the Planetary Union and the Krill.
Alara Kitan receives a text message from Dann on her comscanner.
A Planetary Union comscanner is highly technical, a button array for advanced inputs and a pop-out screen to read the results of a scan. Thanks to the digital screen, the button layout changes based on whether the device is in "com mode" (for communications) or "scan mode."[1]
A comscanner is considered standard equipment for any spacecraft's away team. It can be programmed to send messages at regular intervals and has a range of over 1,000 kilometers.[2]
When scanning, the comscanner looks to unique biosigns of an individual.[3] The comscanner does not read biosigns in the Kaylon, though it can detect electrical fluctuations and chemical reactions.[4]
Union comscanners came equipped with a Translator, a program that rendered alien writing into the user's native language.[5]
Krill comscanner[]
A Krill comscanner resembles two knife blades. Schematics are published in The World of the Orville. The Comm Array, into which the holder speaks, is at the base (or the "blades") of the device, where a light called the Active Indicator shows whether the device is actively listening. The activation button sits on the side. Most of the device consists of the Comm Screen, which displays information pertaining to calls. The bottom base of the comscanner can pop out to reveal a screen showing readings from scans. The final end consists of the device's antenna array scan.
Production[]
Schematics of a Union comscanner.
According to the first draft of the pilot script, the name of the comscanner was communicator, which was changed sometime before filming.[6]
During the initial stages of production, the Planetary Union comscanner was white. An early sketch by creator Seth MacFarlane shows that the scanning screen was a circular, rather than square.
The Krill comscanner's semblance as a knife was no coincidence. "With the Krill comscanner, it almost looks like a weapon," prop master Bryan Rodgers commented. "There are two dagger-like antennae, and it also has a green light that lights up when you talk."[7]
Differences between Union and Krill comscanners were intentional to distinguish the opposite cultures. For example, the Krill comscanner's Global Scanner Screen pops down from the base of the comscanner, while the Union's pops out from the top. "When you hit the button the comscanner drops and pops down when it lights up, so it's taking one design and reversing it for the bad guys so everything has a counterpoint."[7]
