Type-1-Small handheld weapon used by Starfleet personnel, circa 2266, who perferred not to appear conspicuously armed, as in diplomatic functions. Like all such weapons, phaser type-1 could be adjusted to a variety of settings including stun, heat, and disruption. Phaser 1, also known as a hand phaser, was not as powerful as the phaser type-2 pistol. Some versions of phaser type-1 were designed to fit into a pistol grip unit, forming the more powerful phaser type-2.
Type-2-Pistol type weapon that was used by Starfleet personnel, circa 2266. Significantly more powerful than the tiny phaser type-1, the phaser pistol actually incorporated the phaser 1 into it's design. Like all handheld phaser weapons, phaser 2 could be adjusted to a variety of settings including stun, heat, and disruption.
Type-3-Handheld rifle weapon. Extremely powerful, seldom necessary on Starfleet missions due to the power of the smaller type-1 and type-2 phasers.
Type-4-Medium-sized phaser emitter device, mountable on small vehicles such as shuttlecraft, although not part of most shuttles' standard equipment.
Multipurpose scientific and technical instrument. This handheld device incorporates sensors, computers, and recorders in a convenient, portable form. Several models of tricorders have been used by starship crews over the years. All of them have featured state-of-the-art sensing technology, and all have been an essential part of starship missions and operations. Specialized tricorders are availible for specific engineering, scientific, and medical applications. Standard-issue Starfleet tricorders were unable to detect subspace phenomena in 2366. They were also incapable of sensing neutrino emissions.
Personal communications device used by Starfleet personnel. Communicators provided voice transmissions from a planetary surface to an orbiting spacecraft, and between members of a landing party. Communicators also provided a means of ship's transporter system to determine the exact coordinates of a crew member for transport back to the ship. Early versions of the communicator were compact handheld units with a flip-up antenna grid.
Starfleet briefly used wrist communicators, but more recent units have been incorporated into the Starfleet insignia worn on each crew member's uniform and had a dermal sensor that can be used to restrict usage to one authorized individual only. Roga Danar, fleeing from security confinement aboard the Enterpise-D, successfully bypassed this restriction by using an unconscious security officer's own finger to activate his communicator. The device is constructed of a crystalline composite of silicon beryllium, carbon-70, and gold.