Direct transmission of digital TV via satellite from Danish trotting and racecourses is reported as being very successful. The organisation pioneering it, DanToto, reports a turnover increase of more than 25% since Racing Live, as the system is called, started a year ago. The satellite system, supplied by the Swedish firm Wahlberg & Selin AB, is now installed in several European countries.

Compliance with ISO 9000 and other quality programs increasingly requires manufacturers and researchers to verify the accuracy of infrared temperature sensors and systems. To meet this need, the Mikron Instrument Company Inc. has developed a comprehensive range of radiometric calibration standards.  The M300 series includes 24 models covering a broad selection of temperature ranges and aperture sizes. Models also incorporate practical features such as portability and remote, computer operation, which facilitates use over long path lengths or in difficult or hazardous locations.

Acotec Grande, the first automatedprefabrication line for both non-reinforced partition walls and statically reinforced concrete walls and slabs, is now ready for market introduction. In Finland, the first complete production line is already under installation. According to the manufacturer,Finnish company Acotec Ltd. based in Lahti, the new machinery significantlylowers the noise and vibration problems of traditional prefabrication lines.

A switch-disconnector which can be used for main switches, control switches and motor switches, has been designed by ABB Control to meet the needs of both electrical installers and manufacturers of electrical equipment. Only one range of switches need be stocked, as the OT switch-disconnector can be used in all operating classes, regardless of the purpose of the installation. The rated impulse withstand voltage (U imp) exceeds 8kV, allowing installation in all system voltages and installation categories. 

- With a revolutionary tooth-colored ceramic abutment, it is now possible to restore a dental implant with an aesthetically appealing look, even in the most difficult cases, says Dorene Lynch, Vice President of marketing Nobel Biocare USA, Inc. The new abutment, called CerAdapt, is the latest addition to Brånemark System family of dental implant products. 

The unconventional co-operation between the construction company Skanska and Liv Ullmann, famous actress in Ingmar Bergman's films among others, won a grand slam at the recent 2nd International Public Relations Film, Video and Multimedia Festival in Budapest, Hungary.

The Wifsta Office range has been strengthened by the addition of two new qualities, Wifsta Office Mosaique and Wifsta Office Astral, both available in their own distinctive packaging. 

Swedish based LIMT (Local Insertion Media Technology) has purchased Channelmatic, Inc. for USD 10,91 million using funds raised by D. Carnegie in Stockholm. LIMT, which has developed a method to insert local TV commercial spots into national television transmissions using MPEG2 technology, has already had huge success with its LVS 300 video server which it began marketing six months ago. Channelmatic is a leading US manufacturer of systems for digital automation and distribution solutions for the television industry with a world-wide sales and support organization. 

An advanced simulation game for municipal traffic is the first example of a new active learning media channel.  This is claimed to be the communication method of the future, as well as an interesting alternative to traditional information-transfer media such as brochures, video presentations, etc. The claim is made by the Swedish advertising agency Nord & Syd Europa AB, who are introducing their large-scale venture as a general model and as a system for computer simulated training and presentation. ‘This is a media channel which creates completely new dimensions and possibilities for both qualitative and economically interesting information transfer’, commented Ulf Eneqvist, Project Manager and also the person responsible for both concept and game-script. ‘The method is especially suitable for demanding target groups, and those with which it is difficult to communicate’, he continued. ‘An example is young people who are used to combination training via play, competition, or entertainment methods.