Document details

Got a question? Just touch the screen!
A new information retrieval system
G. W. Smith, Jr.

Visitors to the new Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (Epcot Center)-a new theme park from the Walt Disney organization-are able to obtain audio and visual information by simply touching a television screen. It's made possible by an experimental information retrieval system that uses a newly developed Bell Labs technology called ARIEL (Automatic Retrieval of Information Electronically).

A very 'friendly' information system helps visitors to Epcot Center, the Walt Disney World Resort's newest theme park, decide where to go and what to do.

An advanced Bell Labs-designed electronic information retrieval system that embodies the latest Information Age technologies is featured at the Walt Disney World Resort's newest theme park- the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (Epcot Center).

Called the WorldKey Information Service, the system was especially designed for Epcot Center using the Bell Labs technology called ARIEL (Automatic Retrieval of Information Electronically). By simply touching sensitized color television screens at kiosks throughout the park, guests can obtain audio and visual information in Spanish or English about Epcot Center attractions, special events, shop ping opportunities, and restaurants.

Sometimes described as a permanent world's fair that exhibits nations' achievements and ideas of the future, the 500-acre, $1-billion Epcot Center is part of the Walt Disney World Vacation Kingdom located near Orlando, Florida.

Planners of Epcot Center realized that guests at the park would have literally thousands of questions.

[…]

Source

Title
Source type Magazine
Volume 60.8
Published
Language en
Document type Feature
Media type text
Page count 8
Pages pp. 206-213

Metadata

Id 5459
Availability Free
Inserted 2020-10-07