"VACATIONING VIA TELEPRESENCE" 

In the not too distant future your travel agent may do a bit more than book your tickets. She may be your Navigator!

For some time now a concept known as telepresence has been developing at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is about ready to "Fly". A few more years from now it may enable you to take a "TRIP" without leaving your travel agents office. You might call it your Guide-By-Proxy.

First, here is how it is planned to work for Nasa: This will help explain how It will work for you. Picture this scene: In a NASA hanger somewhere in the U.S. a technician clad in a mylar suit stands in front of a large communications satellite. It is identical to one of those now located in the Clark Belt at an altitude of 22, 300 miles directly over the equator. Just launched from the orbiting space station, is an android dressed EXACTly as is the Earth-Bound technician - With one Exception: On the androids head is a small video camera with a transmitting antennae that always points towards his earthling partner in the U.S. the android homes in on a damaged communications satellite as it rotates at a speed matching the earth's rotation and U.S. territory far below. When it is within fifty feet of the satellite the technician takes over android control.

The android then duplicates exactly the movement and action of the TECHNician who is watching the androids every move via his large video monitor. When both technician and android are two feet away from their respective satellites the technician reaches for his magnetized No. 5 Phillips screwdriver and unlocks Inspection/Repair Panel 17. One-Quarter of a Second later the android follows the action to the millimeter. Minutes later the technician has discovered the likely trouble, changed a defective computer card and relocked the inspection panel. The android has followed the same proceedure. Seconds later a check indicates the unserviceableity has been successfully repaired and the android heads back to the space station. The tecnician Heaves a Sigh of relief, changes uniforms and goes for a beer.

In many ways your "Trip" will be similar. You want to "See" Paris? "Smell" Fiji? "Hear" Cairo? No Problem. Your friendly travel agent - for a fee - places you in what appears to be the upper half of an "Iron Maiden" that you last saw at the wax museum. Only as you look through the eyes of the mask you see what your android guide is seeing. The Eiffel tower comes in view as you turn your head. The Riverre Seine is only a block away. You even feel the cobblestones under foot as your android relays you the visions, physicial feelings and sensations of paris. The aroma of the salt sea spray, the smell of the Hibiscus and Franganani are just like they are in Fiji. The taxi horns, the call to prayer of the moslem muzelin, and the everpresent dust of the hot hamzeen breeze assails your nostrils. You are "IN" Cairo!

A similar trip to the far east is only a request - and $200 away. Your TRAVEL agent punches new coordinates into her computer and you are talking to thai-thai your bangkok rickshaw driver. He shows you the front page of the English-Language Bangkok Post. You notice it bears tomorrows date. You have already crossed the international date line. You also notice that like most others, today your rickshaw is motorized.

As you travel down the mail street you observe the shops, hotels, restaurants, street vendors, hear the noisy tuk-tuks, see the colorful saris of the native women, the many nearby canals and the saffron robes of the shaven-headed Buddist preists carrying their omnipresent begging bowls. All this is being transmitted to you back in North America via a Video camera and transmitter located in the rickshaw and relayed to you via satellite from the Bangkok earth station uplink. The technology exists today.

The smart travel agent is thinking about their part in this operation for tomorrow.

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