Israel Active

Israel’s OffBits has produced “build it yourself” kits, comprised of throwaway screws, springs etc. Kids can assemble the kits into cool little toy robots and add their own “bits”.

Rafi Mehudar is one of this year’s Israeli Independence Day torch-lighters. 42 years after he invented the modern form of drip irrigation, it is still used by only 5% of the world’s farmers. But that technology is responsible for crops that feed over a billion people.

Canadian handset maker Blackberry has bought Israeli device security company WatchDox, whose 100 employees will form the basis of Blackberry’s Israeli Research & Development team.

German energy giant RWE AG, one of the five largest energy and gas companies in Europe, is opening an innovation center in Israel in order to develop tech for a smart grid – a metering system that will keep track of how consumers use electricity.

Israel’s Orad Hi-Tec has developed many of the slick graphic technologies used in live broadcasting. Orad has just been bought for an estimated $60 million by US video production giant Avid Technology and will become part of Avid’s new Israeli research and development facility.

A new consortium of top Israeli companies and universities is to develop 3D printing technologies for the Israeli aerospace industry. The aim is to design and manufacture complex geometric structures that can only be produced by printing.

Israeli startup Meetey has a new app that allows you to post a review about your experience at a particular location. The review is then highlighted to people in the area who can then decide if they want to visit. It’s like a mobile guest-book.

Israel’s Simbla is a free mobile and tablet compatible website builder that allows users with no coding skills to build their own impressive, beautiful website.

I reported about the Project Ray smartphone for the blind in my newsletter. The project team has now adapted the touch and voice technology to make the RayGo smartphone for sighted car drivers who need to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Israel’s Percepto is a tiny camera that fastens to a drone and uses smart technology to capture pictures and videos “from above”. It has applications that even Percepto’s developers can’t imagine.