ARTIFICIAL REALITY 

(Editor's note: In the beginning computers could only communicate in capital letters. This is one of 20 columns from Dr. Tomorrow's original series, included here to indicate change as well as describe it. Those columns also hold another story, that change is swift and offers both disaster and opportunity.)

ONE OF THE MANY "SURPRISES" IN STORE FOR US BETWEEN NOW AND THE YEAR 2000 OPENED IN TORONTO IN JANUARY 1986.

IT'S BEING BILLED AS THE "TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE". AS AN AIRPLANE AND HELICOPTER PILOT FOR 35 YEARS, I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A PRE-OPENING "FLIGHT". IT IS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE.

LOCATED AT AND "UNDER" THE CN TOWER, TALLEST FREE-STANDING BUILDING IN THE WORLD, "TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE" IS A TRIP DESIGNED TO GIVE A TASTE OF SPACE TRAVEL. FLIGHT DATE IS IN THE YEAR 2019, THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAN'S FIRST MOON LANDING. AFTER DESCENDING "2000 FEET UNDERGROUND" ONE IS GIVEN A PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING BY THE CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER, AND PROCESSED THROUGH A LASER-ACTIVATED "INNOCULATION AGAINST MARTIAN DROPSY" PRIOR TO BEING LAUNCHED ON A CANADIAN AIRLINES INTERPLANETARY VIEW TRIP TO JUPITER.

WITHOUT RELEASING TOO MANY OF THE SURPRISES CREATED BY TORONTO ENTREPRENOUR MOSES ZNEIMER (HEAD HONCHO OF TORONTO'S CITY-TV AND MUCHMUSIC)) AND HIS STAFF OF DREAMERS, I CAN SAY THE EXPERIENCE IS A WINNER AND AN UNPARALLELED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR OLD AND YOUNG. THE ENTIRE JOURNEY TAKES UNDER AN HOUR WITH THE ACTUAL SIMULATED FLIGHT BEING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES DURATION. ENJOY IT. THESE COMPUTER-GENERATED VISUALS COST $1,500 PER SECOND TO CREATE!

THE 40-SEAT SPACECRAFT, THE FIRST OF A TOTALLY NEW ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATIONAL FORM, IS DESCRIBED AS THE FIRST OFFICIAL LIVING MOVIE.

OPERATED MUCH LIKE FLIGHT SIMULATORS NOW USED WORLD-WIDE TO TRAIN COMMERCIAL JET CREWS, FLIGHT SENSATIONS GIVE THE PASSENGER A FEELING OF THE BLAST-OFF, EXTRA G FORCES, AND A FEELING OF HANDS-ON QUALITY WHILE TRAVELLING IN SPACE.

TOURS TO OTHER SPACEPORTS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND ARE ALREADY IN PRODUCTION, INCLUDING ONE THROUGH THE TAIL OF A COMET. THE PRICE OF $7 FOR ADULTS AND $4 FOR CHILDREN INCLUDES A PERSONAL "EARTH CITIZENS' OFFWORLD PASSPORT".

COMMERCIAL SUCCESS FOR ZNEIMER'S COMPANY APPEARS ASSURED WITH ONE SALE ALREADY CLOSED FOR AN INSTALLATION PACKAGE TO GO TO TSUKAGUSHI JAPAN AND ANOTHER PROPOSED FOR AUSTRALIA'S GOLD COAST. THE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY CLAIMS THEIR INVESTMENT IN THE PROTOTYPE OPERATION EXCEEDED $13 MILLION DOLLARS.

ALTHOUGH IT'S CANADIAN IT'S NOT, REPEAT NOT, A GOVERNMENT PROJECT.

P.S.- TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE HELIX CATAPULT WORKS TO PUT YOU INTO WARP DRIVE DURING THIS TRIP, I SUGGEST YOU TAKE ALONG SOMEONE UNDER 12 TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IN DETAIL. A LOT MORE OF THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE IS ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE.

MORE INFORMATION:

SUZANNE CHICOINE, PR MANAGER, INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC., 577 JARVIS STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO. M4Y 2J3.

PHONE: (416) 922-2131. TELEX 06524079 INTERACT TOR. FAX 416-922-4023.

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