Monthly Archives: December 2015

Technology teaches kids to cross the street

Posted on December 20, 2015

An initiative of Ben Gurion University and Holon Institute of Technology equips children with Virtual Reality devices to train them in road safety. 40 minutes of hazard-detection training on 18 simulated Israeli streets gave the kids the same crossing skills … Continue reading →

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Baseball for all

Posted on December 20, 2015

Fifteen 12-year-olds from the Jewish town of Modi’in and 15 sixth graders from a Christian Orthodox school in the mixed Arab-Jewish city of Ramle met for the third time to play baseball at the Baptist Village field in Petah Tikva. … Continue reading →

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A great year for the IAC

Posted on December 20, 2015

In 2015 the Israeli-American Council hosted five Celebrate Israel festivals that reached over 43,000 community members. It has established regional centers in nine US cities plus three community centers. Its annual conference attracted 1,300 delegates. http://israeliamerican.org/national

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Jerusalem opens a special café

Posted on December 20, 2015

70% of the employees of Jerusalem café Bistro Harutzim have various special needs. The café, opened by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, is operated under the auspices of SHEKEL, which enables people with disabilities to enjoy a better quality of life … Continue reading →

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Respite for parents of autistic kids

Posted on December 20, 2015

Ezer Mizion’s Hakalah Respite Program provides parents of special-needs children the opportunity to celebrate events with their families whilst knowing that their child is well looked after. http://www.ezermizion.org/blog/impossible-dilemma-solved/

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Success in trials of arthritis treatment

Posted on December 20, 2015

Israeli biotech Kitov has announced that its KIT-302 treatment for osteoarthritis successfully reduced arthritic pain in UK trials on 152 patients, without risk of heart problems. In fact KIT-302 is the only treatment for both osteoarthritis and hypertension (high blood … Continue reading →

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Micro-pancreas can cure diabetes

Posted on December 20, 2015

Israel’s Betalin has significantly increased the lifetime of pancreatic beta cells transplanted into diabetics in order to produce insulin. This has been achieved by simultaneously transplanting an Engineered Micro Pancreas (EMP) to sustain the cells. http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-startup-aims-to-end-insulin-injections-1001086686 http://www.betalintherapeutics.com/

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Functional human liver cells grown in the Lab

Posted on December 20, 2015

More news of the work of Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Yaakov Nahmias (see here, here, here and here). Now he has been able to use the chemical Oncostatin to double the speed of liver cell production outside the body. … Continue reading →

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Japan turns to Israeli tech to treat radiation disease

Posted on December 20, 2015

Japan’s Fukushima Medical University and Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics are to develop Pluristem’s PLX-R18 cells to treat acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Radiation continues to spread following the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. http://www.timesofisrael.com/japan-turns-to-israeli-tech-to-treat-radiation-disease/

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Prize-winning voice technology

Posted on December 20, 2015

Israel’s VoiceITT (see Mar 2014 newsletter) won the 2015 Medica medical app competition in Dusseldorf with its Talkitt platform that translates the speech of people with communication disabilities. Medica is the world’s largest medical trade fair, attracting nearly 5,000 exhibitors … Continue reading →

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