Israel Active

Israeli start-up Cortica has image recognition software that can analyse a photo or video then match it up with a relevant advertisement. It has huge marketing potential. Neuroscientists Josh Zeevi and Karina Odinaev first developed the technology when they were studying at Israel’s Technion.

I was sure that Israeli technology would be involved in the current Mars mission. Siemens Israel developed Project Lifecycle Management (PLM) and NASA used it to accurately model how the Mars vehicle “Curiosity” would perform tens of millions of miles from earth.

100 broadcasters including BBC, NBC, Globosat, Terra, TV Record, Televisa, and Uno TV, are all using a remote television uplink technology developed by Israel’s LiveU. And Orad TV developed the software to display national flags on the lanes for swimming and track events.

The “Tech Trailblazers Awards” is a new initiative for taking innovative Israeli tech start-ups into Gold Medal Territory. A £1 million prize fund and guaranteed publicity will launch any new enterprise off the starting blocks and on track for a podium finish.

An Israeli team will submit an entry for the prestigious Solar Decathlon China competition scheduled for August 2013. The competition will include academic teams from 20 countries who will compete for the title of champion of ecological construction.

(Thanks to Phillip Pasmanick) The IDF‘s innovative Windbreaker defense system intercepted an anti-tank missile fired at an Israeli tank in the central Gaza Strip, near Kissufim. It is only the second time that the system has been used to save IDF lives since made operational in 2010.

It’s a toilet that requires no water or electricity and its end product can simply be put on the compost. Israel’s Paulee Cleantech so impressed the Gates Foundation that they have awarded it an $110,000 grant. The same company makes the AshPoopie that deals with dog waste (featured here last year).

Israeli entrepreneur Izhar Gafni has developed a prototype bicycle that is waterproof, humidity-resistant, eco-friendly, affordable and … made out of recycled cardboard. Despite the focus on low costs, Gafni paid a lot of attention to design and it’s really hard to tell that it’s made out of cardboard.

(Thanks to Israel21c, Green Prophet & Margaret) Inspired by their children who kept throwing away their packed lunch wrappings, two Israeli mothers have invented a packaging material that can be disposed of without any environmental impact. (But just look at the CV’s of these mothers)

No it’s not an article about boring teachers. This is about World ORT’s program to advance science and technology education by getting Israeli students to build robots. Robots help kids learn to think more creatively, exposing them to principles of physics, energy, environment, and infrastructure.