AWARD WINNER: multi-purpose exhibit display system used in inquiry is acclaimed by IT societyBloody Sunday model tops formidable listIt was the variety of the entries for the Society for Computers and Law's annual award for the most outstanding application of IT to the law which stood out this year.

The winner, announced last month, was the Bloody Sunday Inquiry's touchscreen models and up-to-the-minute technology, but the four other shortlisted applications were highly commended.

l Bloody Sunday Inquiry: The Inquiry uses a variety of different hi-tech products.

Probably the most eye-catching is the exhibit display system which has a multi-purpose function, scanning documents and also displaying virtual reality evidence onto a screen.

This includes a 360-degree image of Londonderry - the scene of the famous 1972 incident which sparked the inquiry.

It gives a three- dimensional image of the streets and scenes of relevance to the inquiry, enabling witnesses to move around on the map simply by dragging their fingers along the screen.

The technology was highly commended by the Inquiry's chairman, Lord Saville.

He said the proceedings were hastened and made more accessible through the technology.l Mentor available at: www.

perceptivetechnology.comDescribing itself as an intellectual capital management system, Mentor is an integrated application for knowledge management, workflow, client relationship management, data warehousing, document management and research.

It automatically delivers an Intranet for in-house work, and Extranets for sending information to clients.l BAMM available at: www.ferret.co.ukBAMM is a product specifically aimed at welfare issues.

The idea was based on the perennial problem facing welfare: how few people understand either whether they are entitled to benefits, or how their benefits should be calculated.The product gives touchscreen information in an easy-to-follow layout, enabling members of the public to discover their potential entitlements, and - perhaps more importantly - to calculate what those entitlements are.

This is done by answering a series of questions on-screen, which results in a figure.

With its potential for saving man-hours in benefits' offices and citizens' advice bureaux up and down the country, BAMM is aimed mainly at the local authorities, and other public information providers, under pressure to cut down on red tape.

l IRIS available at: www.interfacesoftware.comIRIS (Interface Relationship Intelligence Server) is another knowledge management system.

It takes the form of a server which gathers centrally all information within a firm relating to clients.

This covers contacts of members of the firm, the nature of specific client relationships, expertise of different clients, and their experience.

It can combine data from other sources within a firm, and can thereby apply client information to commercial purposes: for example giving details of clients in potential new work areas.

It can be protected behind the firm's firewall.l 2ends available at: www.2ends.comThis product has hit on one of those ideas which solicitors are bound to like: a way of earning CPD points without leaving the office.

Solicitors can achieve this through seminars which can be accessed on-line.

The seminars actually 'speak' to the solicitor at the computer, and must be followed closely because there are a series of ongoing questions which trace the solicitor's participation interactively.

The seminars also carry hypertext links to other sites and can be replayed, or print out bullet-point reminder notes (so no more scribbling).

This is definitely going to be a growth area.Jeremy Fleming