[en] A new instrumentation system is developed for measurement of the impact fracture toughness of ceramic materials at temperatures up to 1200degC. The impact test involves only central loading with free ends. The specimen is of Charpy type with a crack and/or a deep notch. It is suspended in an infrared image furnace by two thin ceramic threads cemented onto the end surfaces of the specimen. The impact force is provided by a falling steel cylinder with a pair of semiconductor strain gauges cemented onto the cylindrical surface to measure the impact force. A simple formula is used to determine the dynamic stress intensity factor from the measured impact force. A series of impact tests is performed with drop-height increased gradually and the impact fracture toughness is determined from the test data of the maximum dynamic stress intensity factor that the specimen has experienced to fracture