To say that the Japanese are fond of Italy is a bit of an understatement - just think of the numbers of Japanese tourists who flock to Italy each year. However it's now Italy's turn to visit Japan, bringing with it the latest in cutting-edge technology - a bit of a risk given that Japan is the recognised home of high-tech. The risk, taken for the recent Exhibition of Italian Technology in Tokyo, paid off and the Japanese have now added electronics to their love of all things Italian. Items on show were not the usual collection of fanciful, futuristic inventions but rather a series of useful and functional gadgets and devices designed to make life easier for those who adopt them. The current tendency towards green living was reflected in a series of polyurethane fridges from Cannon; tiles with inlaid with fibre optic threads for the houses of the future from Assopiastrelle and electronic noses and extendable cars straight from Italy's prime research centre, CNR.

A nose for business
CNR's electronic nose is a complex system of sensors not unlike our own noses in both appearance and functionality, with the advantage of increased sensitivity to all substances present in the atmosphere. The 'nose' was devised for use in a wide range of sectors from microbiology to toxicology and can be used to check sewage, monitor food fermentation levels and check the state of preservation of works of art, all thanks to its ability to detect 'give-away' chemicals and particles in the environment .

Problem-free parking
What use is a car that can lengthen and shorten at the press of a button? Just think of the number of times you passed up a parking place because it was too small and you have the answer. Your parking problems will vanish with Eta Beta, the car with the telescopic rear which can 'lose' up to 20 centimetres when needed or even gain them to create space for an extra two passengers behind.

Italy may be synonymous with fashion and design but it is also making a name for itself in technology. However Italian creativity and inventiveness is at its best when design and technology come together such as in the Eco-jacket by Sistema Moda Italia, with its built-in pollution-meter for the oxygen-conscious city-dweller of today . . .