Since the dawn of time, man has searched for tools to reduce his physical effort and increase his productivity. New tools mean progress. Progress means change. Progress benifits the community, but may harm the unlucky individual.

An impression of abundance is created by a large variety of industrial and consumer products moving on three conveyor belts in mirror boxes. This stresses the capabilities of the many examples of modern computer-controled, manpower and time saving machine tools in operation around the boxes.

Man's dreams and achievements to reduce his physical work and the concomitant, unexpected sociological side effects are then traced from the water wheel to the first double-action steam engine, in the form of models, pictures and conversational commentary.

From today's machine tools to full automation: the operating vertical automatic factory, simulating the production of color television receivers and home movie projectors on two assembly lines equipped with oof-the=shelf machine tools, demonstrates that full automation il closer than just around the corner, capital resources and organized labour permitting.

As a parting shot, a series of pictures, with questions as captions, leaves the visitor to decide for himself whether modern technology is worth it, e.g. the picture of a super-highway bridge is punctuated by the question: Do you think Technology permits us to find new landscapes or merely allows us to ignore the old?

( Document: Official Guide of l'Expo 67, Copyright 1967 by Maclean-Hunter Publishing Co. Ltd. )