Israel Active

Scientists at Israel’s Ben Gurion University have developed a material which deflects light away from a viewer’s eyes. Their next step is to use the material to produce a cloak that makes the wearer appear invisible – just like in the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

The US-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program has granted $4.8 million for five newly selected clean energy projects. The Israeli companies involved are Brenmiller, CelDezyner, QDM, SoftWheel and TerraGenic.

I reported previously on Israel’s Stockton Group and its innovative pesticide Timorex Gold® made from plant extracts. Now the environmentally-friendly bio-fungicide has been recognized by AgroPages, receiving its 1st Place BEST-IN-CLASS: Provider of Choice Award.

The Carlton Hotel Tel Aviv is the venue for the Conference on High Intensity Lasers in Israel (CHILI) from Dec 11 – 13. Leading international scientists will discuss the interaction of high intensity lasers with matter, such as laser fusion, X-ray/neutron radiation, and attoscience (pulsating photons).

American reality superstar Kim Kardashian West partnered with ScreenShop, an Israeli-founded, New York-based fashion app and the first mobile platform to convert screenshots on a phone into a digital fashion store. The system then finds your desired item on on-line shopping sites.

The Haifa municipality and Israeli-founded Car2Go (GoTo Global) have launched the first shared transportation project of its kind in Israel, based on electric vehicles and charging stations. 100 Renault Zoe cars will operate in the city, with 300 reserved parking spaces.

I reported previously about Israel's Percepto – an autonomous drone camera system with multiple applications. Percepto’s new “Sparrow I” provides 24-hour aerial monitoring of complex environments where security is imperative, such as oil and gas refineries, power plants, ports and sea terminals.

Israel has opened a new 1.5 km stretch of Road 531 north of Herzliya for two months, exclusively for five companies to test their technology for autonomous cars. The five are Nexar (dashboard camera), GM (autonomous car). Mobileye, Innoviz (LIDAR sensors and Argus Cyber Security.

While the motor industry is watching Israel developments in driverless cars, Ben Gurion University scientists have developed HydroCamel II, Israel’s first Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The 2.5-meter vehicle will assist the security, oil & gas and marine research sectors.

Intel Israel is hiring dozens of new employees to work in a new artificial intelligence (AI) center being established by the company at its Ra’anana and Haifa campuses. Intel Israel already has 10,000 employees in Kiryat Gat, Yakum, Ra'anana, Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, and Haifa.