Test Subject

"Unbelievable ! You, [Subject Name Here], must be the pride of [Subject Hometown Here]."

- GLaDOS

A Test Subject is a human, animal or robotic individual used by Aperture Science in their computer-aided Enrichment Center.

Overview



 * Test Subjects are part of Aperture Science's 'Portal' project, for which they test the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device in puzzles in the Enrichment Center's Test Chambers. However, Military Androids, also used as Test Subjects before being commercialized, appear not to use the ASHPD.


 * While most of the time Test Subjects are human individuals, Aperture has been known to use animals (such as chickens), as well as robots (such as Atlas, P-Body and the Military Androids).


 * Before performing the proper ASHPD test, applying Test Subjects are to fill the Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process, a 50-question computer-managed questionnaire.


 * While common scientific / medical research made on humans is never directly dangerous, the ASHPD tests can be very dangerous, and can often result in the death of an unwary Test Subject. The hazards met include vaporization caused by High Energy Pellets, death by bullets from Sentry Guns, falling in toxic liquid, being burned alive (by falling in an Emergency Intelligence Incinerator, or, in the case of Chell, by being purposefully killed by GLaDOS), being hurt by falling objects such as Weighted Storage Cubes, and being crushed by pistons (only in maintenance areas, if the Test Subject escapes).


 * Human Test Subjects are fitted with Advanced Knee Replacement to slow down their falls.


 * According to GLaDOS, Aperture Science's annual bring-your-daughter-to-work day "is the perfect time to have [one's daughter] tested", suggesting Test Subjects are (at least partially) chosen among daughters of Aperture employees. The revelation of Doug Rattman being male suggests subjects are obtained through other means than just this.


 * ASHPD tests allowed Aperture Science to discover that Test Subjects, when confronted with science, may exhibit any or all of the following personality flaws: cowardice, impaired motor skills, poor judgement, fear of heights, weights, depths, bullets, and fire.

Known Test Subjects



 * Chell (human)
 * Doug Rattmann (human) (originally programmer, then forced Test Subject)
 * Mel (human) (cut)
 * Military Androids (robotic)
 * Portal 2 robots (robotic)
 * Test Subject #042 (chicken)
 * Test Subject #234 (human)

Behind the scenes

 * In Portal and Portal 2, the playable characters are always Test Subjects.


 * In the original Portal trailer, the "Portal is Free" video, the Portal 2 diagrams, the Portal game cover, and several signs seen in-game, Test Subjects are always represented as asexual black stick figures.

Trivia
The track "Subject Name Here" in the Portal soundtrack is a reference to the GLaDOS's quote, "Unbelievable ! You, [Subject Name Here], must be the pride of [Subject Hometown Here]." said at the completion of Test Chamber 06.

List of appearances

 * ApertureScience.com
 * Portal
 * Portal: First Slice
 * Portal: Still Alive
 * Portal ARG
 * Portal 2