Israel Active

I reported previously on the QuadSight vehicle camera-based vision systems from Israel’s Foresight. QuadSight has now been named a 2019 CES Innovation Award honoree in the Vehicle Intelligence and Self-Driving Technology category.

I reported previously on the revolutionary new Nanobébé baby bottle. Nanobébé has now been recognized by TIME magazine and appears on the cover of its latest issue as one of the best inventions of the year. TIME rated originality, creativity, influence, ambition and effectiveness.

Israel’s FruitSpec has developed hyperspectral machine vision technology that scans the trees in an orchard to count the fruit and estimate yields six months before the harvest. Latest trials show 90% accuracy – more than double that of alternative current estimation methods.

Israel is to set up an India-Israeli Innovation Centre (IIIC) in Bengaluru (Bangalore), the first startup incubation facility in India. The 10,000 square feet facility will be operated by startup hub MESH (Modiin Entrepreneurs’ Startup Hub). Two more IIICs will open soon.

I reported recently that Tel Aviv University (TAU) and 3 Illinois universities are building an innovation center in Chicago. Now TAU and Northwestern Uni are to establish a nanotech program and TAU center, funded by a multi-million donation from Roman Abramovich.

Israel’s Council for Higher Education (CHE) has awarded NIS 10 million to Israel’s Technion Institute to establish “t-hub” - The Technion Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center. It will help connect the Technion’s activities to the new branches of Technion in New York and China.

5,000 people, 175 companies and representatives from over 80 countries will attend the International Homeland Security & Cyber Conference in Tel Aviv starting 19th Nov. 170 Israeli companies will also showcase an extensive array of innovative security technologies.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards attended the signing of a research Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Ben Gurion University with the Water Institute of the Gulf in Baton Rouge. The two institutions will conduct joint research and exchange research staff and students.

Israel’s Water Authority (Mekoret) has begun work on the $300 million project to pump desalinated water into the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It is also removing thousands of tons of salt from the lake.

Ben-Gurion University scientists have shown for the first time that human poop can be converted by hydrothermal carbonization into a safe, reusable fuel (biomass) and a nutrient rich fertilizer. It addresses two major worldwide issues of sanitation and fuel for energy.