Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device

"There's a hole in the sky, through which things can fly."

- GLaDOS

The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, often referred to simply as the Portal Gun, is an experimental tool used to create two portals through which objects can pass.

Development History
The Portal Device was the third stage of a three tier program set out by Cave Johnson on his deathbed in 1979, designed to guarantee his company's future. Up until this point Aperture Science had almost wholly concentrated on the research and development of shower curtains; Johnson thought that a device that could create "some kind of rip in the fabric of space...would help with the shower curtains I guess".

The least well thought out stage of the program, development on the Portal Device did not begin to bear fruit until 1981, after the first two stages of Johnson's program- the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver and the Take-A-Wish Foundation- had resulted in a P.R. disaster for Aperture. When summoned before a Senate investigative committee, however, an engineer stated that some progress had been made with tier three, which he referred to as a "man-sized ad hoc quantum tunnel through physical space with possible applications as a shower curtain". The committee was permanently recessed and Aperture Science was given an open-ended contract to continue work on both the Portal Device and the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver.

Progress with the Portal Device was slow however, and in 1986 Aperture learned that Black Mesa was also beginning to investigate portalling technology. In response to this Aperture Science constructed GLaDOS, a powerful supercomputer, which was completed and switched on some time after 1996.

It is not clear when the Portal Device in its final form was completed, or who in fact built it. A test subject named Chell was forced by GLaDOS to experiment with the device at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. GLaDOS remarked to Chell that the Portal Device was more valuable than the sum value of the vital organs and incomes of every inhabitant of Chell's hometown. (Although GLaDOS actually doesn't state Chell's hometown, only saying "Subject Hometown Here") Chell used the Device to escape the facility, but it is unknown if it survived the destruction of GLaDOS that exposed Chell to the outside world.

Usage
The HPD can fire two types or colors of portals. The first type of portal is blue, the second orange. If one of each is present on the field, the two portal gateways are linked, allowing objects to pass through one end and exit at the other. As a result the HPD is very useful when trying to overcome obstacles which would otherwise be impassable.

The HPD also has a weak zero point energy field manipulator which can carry fairly light objects, much like the Gravity Gun. It cannot, however, punt or launch objects; it can only drop or throw them a short distance. It also cannot pull objects towards the user.

According to GLaDOS, though the portals have been proven 100% safe, the Handheld Portal Device has not: "Do not touch the operational end of the Device. Do not look into the operational end of the Device. Do not submerge the Device in liquid, even partially. Most important, under no circumstances should you- (static)"

GLaDOS also says that "All subjects intending to handle high-energy gamma leaking portal technology must be informed that they MAY be informed of applicable regulatory compliance issues" implying that either the device or the portals themselves emit gamma radiation.

Behind the scenes


The original texture for the ASHPD has "F-22" in bold, black text. This is visible in the original Portal trailer.
 * The earliest known ASHPD model appeared like a modified Gravity Gun.

Trivia

 * The ASHPD cannot be used in Garry's Mod. Although its prop can be imported with the Portal content, it cannot be spawned as the working Device. Although a working version was made by fans for GMod 9, the latest GMod does not have the necessary code (although Valve gave the base Source engine code to Garry Newman, it didn't contain the HPD code as it wasn't incorporated into any Source engine game aside from Portal).
 * The ASHPD can be used in Half-Life, its episodes, and Half-Life: Source by simply copying all Half-Life game data into the Portal data folder, then using the console to submit the Half-Life 2 map codes. The Half-Life 2 maps will work seamlessly with the ASHPD and vice versa, partly because of development and system similarity.
 * Fans speculated that "ASHPD" was a nod to Adrian Shephard, the protagonist for Half-Life: Opposing Force. According to Valve, this is a simple coincidence.
 * The firing sound of the ASHPD when it is acquired is the unused charging sound of the cut Combine Guard Gun from Half-Life 2.
 * The ASHPD has the number "04" written on the side, this suggest that there may be others.

List of appearances

 * Portal