Israel Active

Researchers at Tel Aviv University were using a laser to make glass glow, but it caused the glass to fold, inventing “photonic origami”. The tiny 3D folds allows optical devices to be made 0.5 microns thick. Uses include micro-zoom lenses in smartphone cameras and superfast electronics.

The international team from Israel’s Beewise (see previously) uses robots, remote systems and Artificial Intelligence to manage 250,000 hives for US customers. These bees pollinate crops from almonds in California, to citrus trees in Florida.

The National Centre for the Blue Economy showcased sustainable water and marine tech at the 3rd Blue Tech Summit in Haifa. Startups included (keep birds off fish ponds); SenpAI (virtual swimming trainer); and Rewind (returning biomass back into carbon).

Dr. Yisroel Mirsky of Israel’s Ben Gurion University has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant to investigate how to safeguard future general artificial intelligence systems.

The level of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has fallen to the bottom red line and may hit the black line, with ecological damage. Water from Israel’s desalination plants in Ashdod, and Hadera is to be redirected into the Kinneret. By early Nov, 1.3 million gallons per hour will replenish Israel’s natural asset.

Israel Weapon Industry (IWI) has developed the Arbel system that upgrades standard rifles into the first computerized system. It can accurately shoot down drones by using smart stabilization, offering a simple, low-cost defense solution.

Shmil Rochman has just celebrated his 100th birthday. He escaped Europe in 1938 and in 1960 emigrated to Israel to oversee development of Weizmann Institute’s Golem A computer. The equivalent project cost today would be NIS 24 billion. A duplicate computer, Golem B, ran until 1983.

A group of Jewish faculty at MIT and other US Universities has launched Kalaniyot - to advance academic excellence by deepening ties with Israeli researchers and building a supportive campus community. Also at Harvard Medical, Penn, Dartmouth, and now Columbia.

The Kinneret Science and Innovation Park (see previously), inaugurated near the Sea of Galilee, spans 7,000 square meters of advanced laboratories. It is expected to generate thousands of high-quality jobs in northern Israel, connecting academia, innovation, and industry, especially in agriculture.

Israeli food giant Strauss has launched CowFree, an innovative dairy alternative made from the BLG protein, which is identical in composition to one of the proteins found in cow milk, but not derived from animals and has no lactose. Kosher (parve) Yotvata CowFree milk and soft cheese will be in the shops soon.