The Kardashev scale is a method of measuring a civilization's or an entity's level of technological advancement. The measure was first proposed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964.
The original scale consisted of a 3-tier ranking system that categorized a civilization on the basis of the amount of energy it is able to use. Various extensions of the scale have since been proposed, including a wider range of power levels (types 0, IV and beyond IV) and the use of metrics other than pure power.
In the 'Journey to Omega' scenario, the Kardashev Scale has been modified to categorize civilizations and entities into 20 different types.