What is the average reaction speed of the StarTrek species?

[merinidrostarr]

I haven't been able to find reaction speeds among Star Trek races anywhere and reaction speed is something that is almost never seen highlighted on screen in Trek.

In real life, Reaction Speed is the time to initiate a physical response to an auditory or visual stimulus. Audio reaction times tend to be 10% faster.

Exceptional: <150ms (Fastest possible human reaction 100ms)
Good: 150-250ms
Average: 250-270ms
Slow: 270-350ms
Extremely slow: 350-500ms

What might be the possible reaction speeds among the alien species of Star Trek, given the evidence from on-screen or novels and how does it compare to humans?

 

[merinidrostarr]

The only evidence onscreen we have for differences between species is that Nog has a 25% slower reaction time than the cutoff for Starfleet Academy Prep. This maybe indicates that Ferengi have 25% slower average reaction times than humans do?

 

[at Quark's]

Why would the cutoff for Starfleet Academy prep be the human average, though? Isn't Starfleet supposed to only take the best?

 

[Tosk]

The only evidence onscreen we have for differences between species is that Nog has a 25% slower reaction time than the cutoff for Starfleet Academy Prep. This maybe indicates that Ferengi have 25% slower average reaction times than humans do?

A single example means nothing.

And I'd argue Nog wasn't talking about his inherent biological reaction time, rather his reaction time to specific situations.

 

[somebuddyX]

1.21 milliseconds

 

[1001001]

African or European?

 

[Firebird]

African or European?

​

The Gorge always had good reaction time.

 

[Qonundrum]

At the speed of plot? That varies from episode to episode! Especially when we see our heroes sidestep a phaser blast coming their way! ("Conspiracy" having that corridor scene, but others exist.)

But, in a real-life scenario, other species on other planets might have faster reaction times than humans.

 

[Shawnster]

African or European?

Imperial or Metric?

 

[NCC-73515]

Faster than Lal's

 

[merinidrostarr]

At the speed of plot? That varies from episode to episode! Especially when we see our heroes sidestep a phaser blast coming their way! ("Conspiracy" having that corridor scene, but others exist.)

But, in a real-life scenario, other species on other planets might have faster reaction times than humans.

Which species are likely to have faster than human reaction times?

The Caitians? Kzinti? What about Vulcans/Romulans?

 

[Qonundrum]

Which species are likely to have faster than human reaction times?

The Caitians? Kzinti? What about Vulcans/Romulans?

Species 8472 comes to mind for quicker response time and agility, from what I recall. Especially in the vacuum of outer space. I recall they had some agility inside the Voyager ship as well.

Caitians and Kzinti, being feline based, should be able to pounce rapidly and unexpectedly. Or expectedly once they're done using the litter box, as most cat owners would know...

The Borg have cybernetic enhancements, but they're not shown as being faster - they're so powerful that they can just slowly saunter and that's that.

Romulans and Vulcans? Slightly stronger, possibly, but they seem to be just as agile/quick response as average humans.

The Horta was obviously much slower, and to me the concept of silicon life forms rocks... (I also really dig geology as well...)

 

[Forbin]

Gotta admit, this is something I never thought about.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I would imagine that the reaction time of a typical Scalosian is rather fast.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

The Borg have cybernetic enhancements, but they're not shown as being faster - they're so powerful that they can just slowly saunter and that's that.

I think that has more to do with the "The Borg Hive Mind Control Programming" that hurts them.

Also they removed one eye and put in some form of sensor for the vast majority of Drones, so they lost "Stereo-Scopic Vision".

The reason they slowly saunter might also have to do with the lack of Depth Perception their stupid Occular Implant that replaced their secondary natural eye caused.

Imagine moving around with one eye open & no depth perception, that's got to be hard.


Just look at how Seven of Nine performs once she's free of "The Borg Hive Mind control".

She's able to fluidly do Martial Arts when she fought the Pendari Champion.

She's fast on shooting reflexes & manuevering.

Her Vision is excellant, her creativity has only gotten better.

 

[merinidrostarr]

Could we maybe argue that non-Augment Klingon reaction speed is slower, maybe slower than humans and Trill, reflecting how humans and Dax are regularly able to block and hit them in combat on screen?

 

[merinidrostarr]

Kelpians have arguably faster reaction times than humans, given what we saw in Star Trek: Discovery. Perhaps because they evolved as predators and then prey species, that evolutionary pressure bred higher reflexes for species survival.

Maybe that is a standard that could be applied as rationale to other Star Trek species. Species that develop in a role where they are warm blooded and both predator and actively hunted prey tend to have higher reaction times for species survival.

Also species where the young grow up fighting for survival.

[FONT=Helvetica Neue]reflexes take a lot longer in large animals -- about 17 times longer than their smallest counterparts - according to scientific studies. One component of response time, nerve conduction delay, is particularly long in large animals. To compare to engineered systems, it takes less time for an orbiting satellite to send a signal to earth than for an elephant's spinal cord to send a signal to its lower leg."

Not so fast: From shrews to elephants, animal reflexes surprisingly slow

While speediness is a priority for any animal trying to escape a predator or avoid a fall, a new study suggests that even the fastest reflexes among all animals are remarkably slow.

www.sciencedaily.com

[/FONT]

We can probably extrapolate from terrestrial species like felines for felenid Star Trek species, etc..

150lb Caitians and Kzinti likely have 50-100ms reaction times, (extrapolated from 30lb bobcats 20-70ms), as opposed to fast human gamers at 150ms.

Similarly we could probably estimate that Tellurites have lower average reaction speeds, like wild hogs. Same for very big species like Pandrillites and Nauscicans.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I would imagine that the reaction time of a typical Scalosian is rather fast.

bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Mudd]

Worf: Never fast enough to avoid getting his ass kicked by an alien child or a tribble or whatever.

Data: Doesn't matter because he'll never be permitted to perform to his specs since they wouldn't need anybody else on the goddamn ship.

 

[The Wormhole]

The speed the plot needs them to be.