Programming



Programming is a process, used by Cybermen, to control Humans.

In order to program a Human, the person must be dead. Then a control is installed upon the person, powered by elecricity, turning the person into an agent of the Cybermen. Cyberman agents lose their speech once they are programmed. The control over programmed Humans can be shorted out by another signal, but that kills whatever may be left of the person.

During their race to control the Nemesis statue and conquer Earth in 1988, the Cybermen used two Humans, who were controlled by their headsets, to try an eliminate the Doctor.(DW: Silver Nemesis)

When the advance party of Cybus Cybermen from Pete's World entered this universe in 2007, they programmed three Torchwood employees so that they could open the Void and allow the other five million Cybermen onto Earth. The controls resembled two earpieces.(DW: Army of Ghosts)


 * It may be that "programming" is another term for cyber-conversion or that it is a type of cyber-conversion where the person keeps their human appearance but is, in fact, a Cyberman.