History Main / OperatorIncompatibility

* In the Literature/LiadenUniverse novel ''Plan B'', Val Con's attempt to steal an Yxtrang fighter jet is complicated by the fact that it's designed for a race of people who average at least a foot taller than him and he can't even reach the foot pedals unassisted.

* In the Literature/LiadenUniverse, Val Con, a guy who's around 5'5, tries to operate a spaceship designed for a larger species of human. He gets seriously injured from this.

* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': The Judges' DNA-encoded Lawgiver cannot be used by anyone else. Unlike the 1995 movie however, they explode and ''can'' tell if a clone sibling is using it, since in the comics clone Judges are common.

* RealLife {{Smart gun}}s, which is essentially a {{Defictionalization}} of [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd the Lawgiver]] (Well, without the [[StuffBlowingUp explosive charge]]). There are various methods, such as RFID chips, fingerprint scanners and magnetic rings that will prevent a weapon from firing if used by an unauthorised user. Their potential introduction has caused controversy among gun rights groups, who feel that they would not be reliable enough to stake their lives on.

** Likewise with its sequel XCOM 2 for pretty anything used by ADVENT forces, which, according to the novel ''Resurrection'' will either set off homing beacons or outright [[MadeOfExplodium explode]] if the Resistance attempts to use or tamper with it.

** In the ''ComicBook/XWingSeries'', Rogue Squadron's chief mechanic is a Verpine, an {{insectoid|Aliens}} race whose hat is engineering ability. Wedge has heard rumors of Verpine making modifications to the controls of starships that they see as improvements, without taking into consideration that most species don't think in base 8 or have microscopic vision. (Zraii is more careful than that.)

* In one ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' book, our heroes steal a Bug fighter that is usually piloted by a Taxxon (a really, really big centipede with maybe six or eight arms), and is here piloted by an Andalite with two arms. Then they learn the ship was designed with a ''mutant'' Taxxon in mind, one with "twice the usual amount of appendages". They manage to fly it perfectly though.
** Ax actually says something like, "I now believe this ship was meant to be piloted by a Taxxon with twice the usual number of appendages." [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation This may just be his way of complaining about having to pilot a ship meant to be piloted by a normal Taxxon.]]
** Considering the Yeerks are {{Puppeteer Parasite}}s, it's kind of surprising they don't have more equipment designed to be used by humans.

* Averted in the novelization of ''Literature/TheLastStarfighter'', since the Gunstar is capable of detecting the species of its pilot and modifying its cockpit and controls to match.

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'' features a humanoid wolf with a wolf's snout, digitigrade legs, and black/white vision (Florence), a squid-thing wearing a humanoid environmental suit (Sam), a rotund robot of human-normal height (Helix), a giant construction robot (Sawtooth Rivergrinder), and assorted other semihumanoid robots (Dvorak, Tangent, and the robot tailor, for instance). [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff700/fv00673.htm This]] [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff400/fv00321.htm trope]] [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1400/fv01400.htm shows]] [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1500/fv01421.htm up]] [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1400/fv01316.htm often.]]

* Since he's a robot with non-human fingers, ComicBook/AtomicRobo can't operate a touch screen at all. In one scene, he's actually seen complaining to Steve Jobs about how useless the [=iPad=] is to him. Later, when Robo has to answer a call on a smartphone, he literally can't, for the same reason. Why he doesn't just use a capacitive stylus [[RuleOfFunny is unknown]].

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Occurs in ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' when anyone other than D'Argo tries to operate Lo'la. The ship requires D'Argo's DNA to function so it's...messy for someone else to use it.
* Stairs were impossible for [[Series/DoctorWho Daleks]] to use until they gained levitation technology. ''Series/{{QI}}'' speculates that ramps are a Dalek conspiracy.
* A lot of tech in ''Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}}'' can only be operated by someone with the ATA (Ancient Technology Activation) gene. Luckily a procedure is developed that can give most people this trait, though those blessed by the plot are still inexplicably better at it.
** As well as some of the Goa'uld technology (e.g. hand devices) are only usable by someone who is or was a host for a Goa'uld (or Tok'ra) symbiote.
** Also, a lot of technology is created so that the Goa'uld ''can't'' use it. Whether or not they're problematic for Jaffa such as Teal'c or ex-hosts such as Carter varies.
* Became an issue for Creator/WarwickDavis when he appeared in one episode of ''Series/TopGear''. He has extensions so that he can operate the pedals of a car but he only has a set for an automatic (accelerator and brake, no clutch) and the "Reasonably Priced Car" is a manual. Richard Hammond's attempts to cludge together a work around were... less than optimal.

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* One ''Webcomic/{{Nodwick}}'' strip featured a villain who dedicated his time searching for a tunic that gave godlike power ... without learning that it was designed for a being with six tentacles and a very narrow waist.

* In the Franchise/StarWars ExpandedUniverse novel, "The Truce at Bakura", it's stated that Ssi-Ruu paddle beamers (and other technology) are utterly incompatible with Human technology due to their unusual life-force powered energy cells.
** On a smaller note, Ssi-Ruu paddle beamers are designed for use by said aliens and [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Dev Sibwarra]] actually has to have one custom made for his use.

* Since he's a robot with non-human fingers in a world without a capacitive stylus, ComicBook/AtomicRobo can't operate a touch screen at all. In one scene, he's actually seen complaining to Steve Jobs about how useless the [=iPad=] is to him. Later, when Robo has to answer a call on a smartphone, he literally can't, for the same reason.

* Shows up regularly in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Giants and other big creatures that use gear have stuff that's far too big for PC races to use and, in some cases, even lift. Centaurs can't wear armor or footwear shaped for humanoids. And halfling and gnome buildings are small enough that humans or elves have to crawl inside them if they don't have access to magic that can make them smaller.

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': The titular ringwords and many other examples of [[{{Precursors}} Forerunner]] technology can only be activated by [[spoiler:humans]] because they were designated by the Forerunners as their successors. Oftentimes, the alien Covenant have had to resort to kidnapping humans in order to attain access to Forerunner tech.

* ''Webcomic/{{Subnormality}''}'s [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page432.html Sphinx]] can't watch movies in modern formats.

* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse:

-->"[[spoiler:My Ph.D. is in ''dance''.]]"

-->"[[spoiler: My Ph.D. is in ''dance''.]]"

-->"Difficulty? My dear, [[spoiler: his Ph.D. is in ''dance''.]]"

* Celia's ill-conceived magic artifact in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' requires a jolt of electricity to activate. Humans can't generate lightning at will? Since when?

* The advent of metahumanity in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' prompted product manufacturers to cater to dwarfs and trolls, who are very disproportionate to humans, elves, and orks. Most gear cannot be used as-is by dwarfs (who have shorter legs and bigger hands) and trolls (who are three meters tall with horns and ''enormous'' hands) and gear designed for them is unwieldy in others' hands.

* In Anne Mason's ''The Stolen Law'', Vallusians have six fingers on each hand. This leaves our human protagonist unable to work the gun they want her to train with; more seriously, when an important piece of technology is sabotaged, it reveals the existence of a Vallusian traitor, as none of the other known races would have been capable of manipulating the necessary controls.