Israel Active

Israeli scientists have shown that despite losing a hand over 18 months ago, amputees are able to use a brain-computer interface to control the hand of an avatar (virtual representation of a human) and also to direct the movements of a humanoid robot.

I reported previously about Israel’s Market Tech Holdings rebuilding London’s Camden Market. It also installed the energy analysis system developed by Israel’s SmartGreen, which saves 25% of energy costs. SmartGreen’s systems are installed in Israel, UK, Hong Kong, Poland and Africa.

A new solar power plant with nearly five times more capacity than Israel’s current largest solar array will be built in the north of the country with construction expected to begin as early as the first half of next year. The 250MW plant will provide 2% of Israel’s total output of electricity.

By the year 2030 Israel will not be using polluting fuels such as coal, diesel or fuel oil in electricity production, transportation, and industry, says Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources Dr. Yuval Steinitz.

Israeli marine biologist Shimrit Perkol-Finkel is the founder of ECOncrete, which develops environmentally sensitive concrete products. ECOncrete attracts marine life, increases the structural stability, longevity and aesthetics of urban waterfronts and coastal structures.

Israel’s Aurora Labs has developed a self-healing platform for connected cars. It detects anomalies in sophisticated automobile software including airbags, steering, brakes etc. Fixes can be applied remotely, avoiding expensive recalls.  Aurora has just raised $2.7 million of funding.

Israeli startup Guardian Optical Technologies develops sensors that monitor the safety devices inside automobiles. Its new automatic sensor system combines video image recognition, 3D depth-mapping, and motion detection. It can also prevent small children and pets being forgotten in vehicles.

The Rooster is a new robot from Israeli startup RoboTiCan that can help reach injured victims of natural disasters where it’s not safe to send a human rescue worker.  Like its biological namesake, the Rooster mostly walks, but when necessary it can hover and fly over obstacles.  

Israeli startup Inuitive specializes in vision processing and sensing technologies. It uses deep learning algorithms to develop chips and processors that support 3D imaging for uses in robots, drones, augmented reality and virtual reality. Japan’s Softbank is to integrate Inuitive’s chips into its IoT products.

Israeli startup Muvix says it is the first in the world to provide movies on-demand in a public space. The Muvix “living lab” in South Tel Aviv had partitioned-off spaces, each with a large TV screen. Viewers watched their chosen film in their chosen language without disturbing others.