---
slug: "SignalReflection"
name: "SignalReflection"
type: "Protocols"
layer: "Society"
ref: "SignalReflection#6a9a"
sema_id: "sema:SignalReflection#mh:SHA-256:6a9a636c81581a8a5d0796881752ecbedb25d94070c2282f2ba810a85cd63e09"
tags: ["Society","Protocols"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SignalReflection/
related: ["Agent","Message","SpectralTune"]
---

# SignalReflection

Proof of receipt via modification

Layer: Society · Category: Protocols

## Mechanism

To prove a [Message](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Message.md) was received, the receiver must 'reflect' it back with a specific, computationally non-trivial transformation (not just a hash). This proves active processing power was available and the [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) is 'live'. It requires the receiver to echo the [Message](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Message.md) modulated by [SpectralTune](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SpectralTune.md) logic to prove active processing.

## Invariants

- Reflected signal matches origin
- Source authenticated

## Preconditions

- Incoming [Message](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Message.md)

## Postconditions

- Acknowledgement sent

## Failure modes

- Asymmetry (too expensive for receiver).

## Builds on

- [Agent](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Agent.md) (Mind; References)
- [Message](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Message.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [SpectralTune](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SpectralTune.md) (Society; References)

## Used by

—

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:SignalReflection#mh:SHA-256:6a9a636c81581a8a5d0796881752ecbedb25d94070c2282f2ba810a85cd63e09`
- Ref: `SignalReflection#6a9a`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:SignalReflection#mh:SHA-256:aac2c4b3fbc861b911c232b754116f4a56085e25dfd61c7ff6bb193b359578d0`
  - `sema:SignalReflection#mh:SHA-256:af7fc052af761d07c60cd6a9f124af4e4bd7e5e1b66e3eb0eebccd93593523a5`
  - `sema:SignalReflection#mh:SHA-256:bb4fa3a688ce2c0e55d957999c2b8caf57132b588f772578ab5aa1e23bbaf6d7`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SignalReflection/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#SignalReflection)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/SignalReflection.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)