Bluetooth™ technology, combined with improved functionality and user-friendly design, has created new options for interaction between man and machines. This is the claim being made by the new Swedish innovation company Aesthetically Pleasing Electronics AB (APE), which will preview its new X-Mouse at this year's Comdex Fall show, held in November in Las Vegas. The company is currently negotiating with major PC manufacturers in countries such as the United States and Japan.

Europe's leading chocolate and confectionery manufacturers already use Stora Enso's Performa CTMP board. Now the board is conquering US markets, where European manufacturers export chocolate packaging. A recent example is the success of Nestlé's new Wonderball packaging. The packaging solution has met Nestlé´s requirements and demonstrates the high competence of the European packaging industry.

Stora Enso, Europe's biggest paper and board manufacturer, is launching a new product range for packaging cosmetics. The product family comprises the SBS boards Ensocoat and Ensogloss and FBB boards Printocart and Printocart Luxe, the latest addition designed exclusively for the luxury packaging industry. Stora Enso has also built a strong technical support and service concept around the new range. The company's goal is to be the leading material supplier in its chosen product segment. The new product family will be launched in October at the luxury packaging fair in Monaco.

The intensive input of Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene in developing barrier-coated paper and board products has provided the packaging industry with a globally significant innovation - packaging board coated with biodegradable polymers. This type of packaging has been reported to possess good barrier properties, but after primary use it degrades into compost within six months. Biodegradable products are expected to become especially popular in the fast food sector.

The Stockholm region is investing heavily with the intention of becoming a world leader in biomedicine and biotechnology. The new Stockholm BioScience project will create the required conditions for establishing a secure base for biomedical and other research - with up to 8 000 jobs spread among 250 000 square metres - in central Stockholm. The cost of rebuilding the entire area has been estimated as approximately SEK 20 000 million, much of which is accounted for by the Stockholm BioScience project.

News, views and plenty of practical solutions for a better planet can be found in a Swedish government-funded environmental program to make the sector environmental technology visible and accessible. Through the launch of the comprehensive and easily accessible website www.swedentech.swedishtrade.se more than 500 Swedish consultants and suppliers offer to share the experience from developing a sustainable society in Sweden. This environmental technology portal intends to secure global contacts and spread practical knowledge.

A new type of operating table for image-guided catheter-based endovascular and cardiovascular surgery is now being launched on the international market. When performing minimal invasive procedures surgeons using this table need not move the C-arm. In order to see the area of interest the surgeon is able instead to pan the table top while at the same time tilting the patient laterally.

A technique for faster and better DNA analysis, a new method for gentle but rapid separation of bio-molecules, a sampling module for quick ATP-based hygiene checks and an advanced platform for micromechanical structures in biochemical analysis plates.These are some of the many new items and signs of progress that a dozen or so Swedish companies can show for the first time in a common national effort on their stand at Biotechnica 2001.This is also the first international announcement from the new national support agency for this field, the Swedish Bioscience Programme. The aim of this investment is via a number of co-operative projects to link up and show to the rest of the world how interesting the Nobel prize country Sweden is in the areas of biotechnology and biological science.

Half the installation time, higher quality, increased flexibility and reduced energy consumption. This is the idea behind Hydroelite, and new control and drive system for hydraulic lifts from the Swedish company Hydroware Elevation Technology AB. The system is based on the tried and tested Dynahyd drive system, combined with a newly developed, microprocessor-based control system.