Turning a swimming pool into a spa

Israel’s Maytronics has produced some cutting-edge technology for swimming pools. Mineral Swim combines ozone–to–oxygen purification technology and 100% Dead Sea Minerals. Meanwhile, Maytronics’ Dolphin Liberty autonomous robots ensure a sparkling clean pool.

He saved the Sabra and Eucalyptus

Israel’s Prof Zvi Mendel and KKL-JNF saved the sabra (prickly pear) cactus from being globally destroyed by cochineal scale insects. He found and distributed the natural predator to the scale insects - Mexico’s ladybeetle. Previously he saved infected eucalyptus trees using a parasitic wasp.

Intelligent renewable energy

Israel’s EnSights has developed an AI-powered, cloud-based, clean energy optimization and management platform. It aims to maximize the cost and performance of a firm’s clean energy assets (solar, wind etc.). Ensights’ hundreds of users have 6,000+ renewable assets totaling over 1.6 Gigawatts.

Jaffa wave energy plant inaugurated

Israel’s Eco Wave Power (EWP) inaugurates Israel’s first wave energy power plant on 5 Dec at Jaffa Port (see previously). For the first time, electricity from sea waves will power Israel’s national grid. Similar EWP projects are planned in Los Angeles and Portugal.

Pushing AI to its limit

Amnon Shashua (of Mobileye, OrCam, AI21 Labs & One Zero Bank) has co-founded AAI, to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges. It involves Artificial Expert Intelligence (AEI) to replicate human cognitive abilities combining complex reasoning for adaptable and precise real-time problem-solving.

A gamechanger to quality construction

Israel’s Siteaware (see previously) revolutionizes quality management of construction. It is now used by over 40 construction industry leaders, including 17 of the top 100 general contractors in the US and 10 of the top real estate developers. See the video.

Reinventing the bus stop

30 students from Israel’s Technion Institute have designed and built a pilot for a new protected bus shelter. It shields passengers from shrapnel and blasts, includes phone charging, WiFi, bike parking, water fountain, a community info display, and a system to alert bus drivers to waiting passengers.

Next big things in Tech

The 2024 list of Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech contained five Israeli companies. (for OneWater), (for Houzz Pro), (Enlight DeepPT), (Captivate), and (AI sports clips).

Recycling lithium batteries

Israel’s Batte-Re receives used Li-ion batteries from electric vehicles (cars, buses, scooters etc.) and processes them to generate a valuable (nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium) powder, plus copper and aluminum. All the metals are sold, and the powder makes more batteries for electric cars.

Saving the coral reefs

This article describes the latest Ben Gurion University method to repair damaged coral reefs (see previously). A “coral reef ecosystem transplant” (aCRET) involves transferring tiles containing invertebrates and microorganisms from a healthy reef to a damaged reef, then re-attaching the old corals to it.