Radioisotope Tagger

[Gadrin]

I want to use a radscanner to follow someone, ala Cyberpunk:

Radioisotope Tagger (400eb)

This is a small spray canister filled with a (supposedly) harmless radioactive
isotope. The isotope is sprayed onto a target, who can then be followed with a geiger
counter or other hand-held radiation detector. It can also be used as a practical joke
in radiation-sensitive habitats, although highriders tend to view this type of prank
as less than funny. Radiation absorption from the tagger is negligible -- less than
your average x-ray. (Cyber Hero 126)

Anyone know of a safe spray-on item I can use ?

 

[Tantavalist]

I'm not sure about the exact substance you'd use to give a safe signature, but the general idea does seem to fit the Traveller paradigm.

If no safe spray for use with a Radscanner exists (and even if it does), then you can also use a pheromone-based spray and track the targets with a Biosniffer. In fact, you could even spray an area then use the sniffer to see whether anyone had walked through that area recently.

My PCs had the related idea of finding which locker in a spaceport an NPC stored his gear in without the risk of tailing him by planting a small nugget of Palladium in his briefcase and then walking round the locker areas with a Densometer.

 

[Gadrin]

The GURPS site felt it could be done if you didn't mind exposing the target to a few rads per week. This means a radscanner can follow at up to 100 meters or so.

Biosniffers (at least in GURPS-land) have a range of about 15 feet, which is too close for me.

I want the followers to keep their distance so the person can get away before they can grab him.

I also have the requirement of setting off the radscanner in an airlock, when the target gets on a starship. This reveals what's going on without him getting snagged.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Cobalt-60 is used in chemotherapy. Dilute it down and spray it on the clothes and not on the skin and it shouldn't be absorbed into the body. It has to be injected for it to do what it does to tumors. But you'd probably only be able to track it short range. The same with any of the isotopic dyes they use with x-rays and cat scans. Unfortunately, I don't think you are going to get much long-range tracking ability out of something that you don't want to permanently damage the subject. The sun's radiation would probably overpower anything more than a couple of hundred feet - probably less. And if it doesn't, you're most likely going to damage the subject. Maybe one of the 'Nukes' on the forum could give you a better idea.

Or you could just slip an RFID into his/her pocket. I hear they are making them small enough to sprinkle on someone.

 

[Gadrin]

well, if it'll trigger the radscanner in an airlock, then a RF transmitter might be the best solution; or a RF micro-bot swarm.