A pilot project is running under the Information Linkages Project, ILP, to increase the flow of technological information between the UK, US, Israel, Finland and Hong Kong; Hong Kong born Judy Lau, who is currently on Cable & Wireless Plc’s employee exchange programme in the UK, set up the project after observing the paucity of technological automation in Hong Kong factories; ILP is a neutral organisation and about 20 members including the British Computer Society, OSIone of Europe and the Hong Kong Management Association; it works on three levels, to facilitate co-operation between regional associations, to encourage direct dialogue between researchers, designers, patent holders and manufacturers and to provide a forum for developers to promote themselves directly to manufacturers; the exchange of information will take place via databases, newsletters and electronic mail; ILP is now investigating further ways of facilitating the flow of information; the organisations involved will set charges for their members after the free time allotted by Mercury Communications Ltd runs out in December; ILP sponsors include Cable & Wireless with videoconferencing services, public packet network services and facsimile services, Laser Computers, DEC Hong Kong and AST Research Inc have also sponsored hardware for teleconferencing.
