Cores

Cores (Also referred to as Spheres, Personality Cores/Spheres, or Aperture Science Personality Constructs) are mechanical spheres that mostly appear Portal and Portal 2. They were developed by Aperture scientists in order to counteract GLaDOS' merciless behavior, such as flooding test chambers and other vital parts of Aperture Laboratories with deadly Neurotoxin, and her attempts to seize control of the facility.

Personality Cores
As the name implies, each Core has its own unique personality and behavior, which is incorporated into the central core when they are physically attached to it.

Morality Core
The Morality Core is one of the cores attached to GLaDOS in Portal. It is a core with a purple 'eye' and two dots just beneath it. Unlike other cores, the Morality Core is mute.

Curiosity Core


The second core attached to GLaDOS is the Curiosity Core. It is the core with an orange 'eye' and four dots beneath it. It has a tendency to constantly ask questions, ranging from its surroundings, to Chell, to where it is going.

Intelligence Core


GLaDOS' third core, the Intelligence Core (also known as the Logic Core), has a blue 'eye' with a huge pupil with six dots beneath it. It rambles on about an odd recipe for a rather unique kind of cake,

Anger Core


The last core attached to GLaDOS is the Anger Core. It has a red 'eye' with eight dots beneath it. It is also referred to as the Emotion Core. Rather than speak, the Core snarls and growls ferociously at Chell.

Central Core
The Central Core is hard-wired into the mainframe of Aperture Laboratories, and is provided with the power to control and regulate the entire Facility. The central core is capable of overseeing all of the events that occur within monitored areas of the Facility, creating and stockpiling test chambers, constructing and dispensing Turrets, and activating core functions among other things. Unlike the personality cores, the central core does not need to possess a spherical shape, but must remain uncorrupted and stable at all times lest it be replaced by a Stalemate Resolution Associate.

Intelligence Dampening Sphere


The Intelligence Dampening Sphere, also known as Wheatley, was specifically designed by Aperture Science scientists in order to make GLaDOS less dangerous by generating an endless stream of stupid ideas to distract her. It was thought that this would prevent her from killing the scientists when activated and improve the operation of the Facility. According to GLaDOS, the Intelligence Dampening Sphere is "the product of the greatest minds of a generation working together with the express purpose of building the dumbest moron who ever lived".

Corrupted Cores
Due to technical difficulties over time, a core may be automatically labeled as a Corrupted Core and would be subject to disposal. However, if the corrupted core is the central core, a substitute core must be present in a core receptacle in order to initiate a core transfer. Once a substitute core is found, both cores must agree or disagree to the core transfer procedure. If one agrees while the other disagrees, the transfer process cannot occur unless a Stalemate Resolution Associate is present in order to press the stalemate resolution button, which will initiate the core transfer process once the Associate has returned to the core transfer bay.

All three Corrupted Cores are voiced by Nolan North.

Space Sphere


The Space Sphere is one of three active, corrupted cores. It speaks rapidly, and possesses an unhealthy obsession with space. Its key personality trait is its often-repeated desire to travel to outer space.

Adventure Sphere


The second corrupted core, the Adventure Sphere (or as he calls himself, Rick) speaks like a stereotypical soldier.

Fact Sphere


The Fact Sphere is the third corrupted core. It constantly states several random, twisted and not entirely true "facts" related to history, the current situation, as well as apparent facts about how right and handsome it is.

Trivia

 * The bomb model used in Portal 2 is named 'personality_sphere_angry' in the game files, suggesting the Anger core was going to make an appearance in the sequel.
 * Several textures for the personality cores with eyes colored like those of the Portal cores can be found in the Portal 2 game files, further hinting at a reappearance of the original cores.
 * The bomb model also has animations that can be viewed in the Model Viewer in the Authoring Tools. These include a stationary animation, a test animation where the core aimlessly looks around and an angry animation where it twitches violently.