In Brief

• REO is looking for 4,000 UK engineers to review a series of impartial mini-guides that it is publishing to explain EMC standards and related issues. Volunteers who phone +44 (0) 1588 673411 will be sent the first two guides - including one on EN 61000-4-8 - and will then receive one guide a month for 15 months. REO says it wants its target audience to decide how useful the guides really are.

• The International Electrotechnical Commission has approved the Device Description language (DDL) as an international standard. The move is expected to strengthen support for Profibus, Foundation Fieldbus and the HART protocol, which support the DDL technology.

• ABB says it is the first drives-maker to offer BACnet support as an option on its HVAC drives. BACnet is an open communications protocol developed in North America for use in building automation applications. Its supporters include Honeywell, Johnson Controls and Siemens.

• The UK Power Quality Partnership is presenting a series of free CPD seminars to explain the causes of power supply problems and to give guidance on how to identify, measure and tackle them. The seminars - part of the EU`s Leonardo Power Quality Initiative - will take place in Manchester on 8 June, Chichester on 22 June and Wakefield on 6 July. Details on +44 (0) 1442 275700.

• The latest Audi A6 cars are using electric brakes for emergency stops and parking. The brakes, developed by TRW Automotive, consist of two electromechanical actuators built into the rear disc brake calipers and a controller linked to the vehicle`s CAN bus system. The brake-by-wire technology will give car designers greater flexibility.