Great service
(thanks to Israel21c and Globes) A new Israeli app called Zappix takes the frustration out of automated customer-service call centres, by putting menu choices into a visual screen on your phone. No elevator music or wasted time; just press the menu option to get straight through to the department you want.
A super battery to last 500km
(thanks to NoCamels) The Israeli National Center for Electrochemical Propulsion was founded one month ago, with the sole purpose to research and develop new technologies that can store electricity more effectively.
A “sea of inspiration” in Korea
The Israeli pavilion at Korea’s Expo 2012 captures Israel's unique marine offering as characterized across technology, science, education, culture and environment. Visitors will be able to re-live their visit with the Israel Pavilion 2012 app, available to smartphone and tablet users.
Rare giant turtle rescued
The male sea turtle only visits Israeli shores once in ten years. So when one was caught in Israeli fishing nets last week, it was returned quickly to the ocean, with the addition of a tracking transmitter, specially flown in.
Israel hardens security of critical US systems
The Department for Homeland Security has turned to Israel’s National Information Security Authority and Motorola’s ACE-3600 to protect its water and energy infrastructure.
An Ulpan to learn hi-tech
In Israel the place to learn Hebrew is at ulpan – an intensive school. But a similar method is being used to help budding entrepreneurs learn how to succeed at running a hi-tech business. I featured Google’s R&D incubator previously; here you can also read about Haifa’s hiCentre.
Slow, slow, quick-quick, slow
Scientists in Israel, the USA and Japan have recalibrated rock-dating clocks due to a previous erroneous estimate of the half-life of samarium-146 (146Sm). The solar system is now thought to have been formed much quicker – although it is still reckoned to be over 4.5 billion years old.
The world’s tiniest UAV
Is it a bird or a plane? No, it’s an Israeli Unmanned Ariel Vehicle. It weighs less than 20 grams and can “see” into the most sensitive establishments. Watch out Ahmadinejad – Israel is watching you.
An exclusive club – space technology
Daniel Hershkowitz, Israel’s minister of science and technology, was interviewed by Scientific American magazine about Israel’s homegrown platforms for launching satellites into space.
Rain from a cloudless sky
One of the many Israeli innovations featuring at Agritech 2012 in Tel Aviv includes a solar-powered drone that can fly for six months without landing and extract water from the atmosphere to irrigate crops. And 2000 Indian farmers, including 600 from Gujarat flew in to attend the event.