LCARS

In the Star Trek fictional universe, LCARS (an acronym for Library Computer Access/Retrieval System) is a computer operating system. Within Star Trek chronology, the term was first used in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in subsequent shows. In a real-world context, "LCARS" is frequently used to describe the style of the computer displays of the LCARS system, especially the screens from The Next Generation.

Production


The LCARS graphical user interface was designed by scenic art supervisor and technical consultant Michael Okuda. The original design concept was influenced by a request from Gene Roddenberry that the instrument panels not have a great deal of activity on them. This minimalized look was designed to give a sense that the technology was much more advanced than in the original Star Trek. The early display panels were made out of colored Plexiglas with light behind them, a technique that can produce complex-looking displays cheaply. As the show progressed, use of animations increased. Most were displayed on video equipment built into the sets.

On Star Trek: The Next Generation, many of the buttons were labeled with the initials of members of the production crew, and were referred to as "Okudagrams."

When Michael Okuda was asked about the design of the LCARS display, he responded "I came up with the LCARS style in part because of Gene Roddenberry's directive that he wanted his new Enterprise to be so advanced that it looked simple and clean. The other part of the LCARS style was that it had to be something that could be manufactured quickly and easily on a television budget."

PADD


In the Star Trek franchise the LCARS interface is often seen used on a PADD (Personal Access Display Device), a hand-held computer device.

PADDs of various designs are used in the Star Trek universe by such space-faring organizations as Starfleet, the Andorian Imperial Guard, Bajoran Militia, Cardassian Union, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire and Vulcan High Command. They are common to cultures even as distant as the Delta Quadrant.

Contemporary comparisons
At 7 in, similarly sized modern tablets such as the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, Blackberry Playbook as well as the iPad mini have been compared with the PADD. Several LCARS style apps are available which offer an LCARS-style interface.

Legal
CBS Studios Inc. claims to hold the copyright on LCARS. Google was sent a DMCA letter to remove the Android app called tricorder since its use of the LCARS interface was un-licenced. The application was later re-uploaded under a different title, but it was removed again.