Author: Anatoly TRIFONOV

by Anatoly TRIFONOV, journalist

The 3rd Moscow International Salon of Innovations and Investments has been held at one of the biggest pavilions of the All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow. It was sponsored by the Government of the Russian Federation and the list of participants included the ministries of industry, science and technologies, economic development and education, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the ROSPATENT Agency, the Russian Agency on Conventional Armaments and several other agencies and organizations.

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The display featured some of the latest products of more than 420 firms and enterprises, including the traditional participants of the show-federal research centers, RAS institutes, colleges, organizations and companies of the military-industrial complex and small business from 30 regions of Russia and also from Ukraine, Be- lorus, Moldova, Estonia, Italy, Belgium and Poland. The "menu" of entries included over 1,500 innovative projects and inventions covering a broad spectrum of different branches of science and industry.

A report on a show of this caliber cannot do without a stage-by-stage description of the entries and expert comments on them. The only snag in this obvious procedure is the really staggering list of innovations which makes it necessary for a common reporter to pick and choose.

One major attraction of the show was the SLAVICH Company (from Pereslavl- Zalessky, Yaroslavl Region), one of the few enterprises which has been able to achieve stable and dynamic growth. It even has an R&D Center of its own manned with highly skilled specialists. Within a short span of time the Center has been able to launch the production of advanced computer equipment and broaden the list of its other products.

Institute researchers, working together with analytical marketing experts, set up effective landmarks for the development of competitive gear which proved to be a success with the market and the investors. The list includes new "combination" packaging, grease-proof and anticorrosive materials, special types of laserjet paper, protective film photoresistors used for printing plates and other items. In a word, a look at menu of SLAVICH products leaves you in no doubt that this alliance of research and engineering efforts will continue to yield new innovations and high- quality products.

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On the other hand, there are also independent research staffs which, relying but on their own production facilities, can translate into reality original products, being able to attract the necessary investments. One such example is the State Scientific Research Institute of Thermal Power Instrument-Making (NIIteplopribor, Moscow). It has been one of the first in this country to focus on modern microelectronics for the functional improvement of instruments for industrial control by means of introducing what they call specialized hybrid microcircuits. Today they are producing a standardized SAPFIR sensor system of a new generation.

The use of microprocessor gear and the development of the most promising approaches to the building of a systems structure and automatic control technology has made it possible for the NIIteplopribor experts to develop a fundamentally new class of control devices- REMIKONTs. Five generations of these regulators are now being produced on a commercial scale.

For many visitors to the Show it was a surprise and a revelation to see what one could call "respect for accuracy" in this country. And that includes everything-time, distance, temperature, etc. A vivid proof of that was the exposition of the All-Russia Scientific-Research Institute of Physico-Technical and Radiotechnical Measurements (town of Mendeleyevo, Moscow Region). The display featured 29 state standards, 20 top accuracy devices and more than 120 standards. Judging by the display, weather experts in this country are really armed to the teeth.

Now, what has been the real eye-catcher for most visitors to the Show? That was the SKAT complex (R&D Enterprise SFERA-MK, Krasnodar). The unit deals with the problems of automatic control and management of technological processes of heat-, water-, gas and electricity supply and registration of utilization of energy carriers. SKAT is a combination of some unified data and program-compatible technical devices linked together by the necessary channels of communication.

Building and road-building experts were attracted by displays featuring multi-purpose emulsifiers for the production of bitumen and bitumen-polymer emulsions, roofing and insulating pastes, concretes, marking mastics and plasticizers. All these materials possess increased resistance to the damaging impacts of the climate and mechanical factors, while being environment-friendly.

A high assessment of experts was given to cutting tools on the basis of diamond composite material which are used for drills in prospecting for oil and gas. These materials can also be used for stone grinding, milling machines and abrasive rings.

And there were also interesting innovations for medical uses-above all lasers LANCET-1 and LANCET-2 (R&D Bureau of Instrument Engineering, Tula). These can be used for contactless and practically bloodless operations of dissection and tissue coagulation. The laser beam destroys the pathogenic microflora and tumor cells and accelerates the healing of surgical operative wounds.

The detail acquaintance of the visitors with the entries of their choice and their manufacturers was accompanied by "round tables", thematic conferences, seminars and what were called "project fairs".

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