Dedicated energy receptor

The dedicated energy receptor (DER) was a passive sensor designed to detect any electromagnetic emission within range. They were the primary passive sensor used in military sensor arrays. The array was capable of picking up emissions from varied sources, including comlink transmissions, navigational beacons, heat, and laser light.

The effectiveness of the dedicated energy receptor was down to the skill of the individual or computer operating it. The sensor processed a large amount of information, and interpreting the data correctly was vital. A poor operator could mistake a stray cosmic ray for a communication signal, while an expert operator could filter through static to discover starships trying to sneak by the sensor.

A DER concentrated its scanning in a narrow, focused beam and is intended to gather detailed, specific information on a previously detected target. Because of its narrow focus, a DER was of little use in early threat detection.

DERs were commonly found in the sensor suites of most military starships, including Rebel Alliance starfighters and Imperial Star Destroyers.

Dr. Lucien wished to install them in infiltration droids.

Imperial Torpedo Spheres utilized thousands of DER devices to find and target weak spots in a planetary shield, by tracking down anomalies and fluctuations in the shields.

Text and facts from the “Dedicated energy receptor/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.