Inventions & Innovations

Israeli Invention Fights Bio-terrorism

Anthrax unleashed into the ventilation system of a shopping mall or convention center is a terrorist ploy, which can produce mayhem, chaos, and death. An Israeli inventor has produced a detector, which he believes will save lives.

Recycled Glass Roads

A Technion-Israel Institute of Technology team has discovered a new use for recycled glass. In September, after 18 months of research, 20 tons of ground-up waste glass was mixed with 400 tons of asphalt to compose the upper layer of a road in Haifa. Glass smaller than 15mm (0.6 inches) and 6mm (0.24 inches) was tested, with no significant difference. Up to 10% of the mixtures can be glass.

Medicine’s Magic Wand

A new radiation-free, portable device invented in Israel claims to supply instant, non-invasive diagnoses of a wide variety of illnesses. It was invented by Dr. Alex Kanevsky, a former Russian immigrant Israeli physician.

Negev Algae For Bio-Fuel

Everyone is searching for affordable, alternative energy sources to take us into the next century. Israeli scientists are well acquainted with the energy-producing capacity of algae and are applying that knowledge to fuel the future.

Over 150 species of algae are used commercially to provide food for humans and livestock, serve as thickening agents in ice cream and shampoo, and ward off disease in pharmaceutical drug form. Unaltered, algae encompass different groups of living organisms that capture energy through photosynthesis, converting inorganic substances into simple sugars.

Freeze-Dried Blood for Soldiers

An Israeli firm is developing a small product with big implications: personal packs of freeze-dried blood which soldiers can carry into battle for their own medical care on the field. The packs will look like the freeze-dried coffee you find in the supermarket, according to Lieutenant Colonel Amir Blumenfeld, head of the IDF Medical Corps’ Trauma Unit. The little packs will be included in each soldier’s mandatory personal kit.

Monitoring Diabetes Painlessly

Doctors agree that the most essential way to treat diabetes and prevent long-term health complications is for every patient to manage their disease carefully by testing glucose levels regularly. But the majority of diabetic patients are doing no such thing.

The problem is the test itself––a painful pin pick of blood from the finger. Now an Israeli company, OrSense, has come up with a solution––a non-invasive glucose monitor that allows a diabetic patient to test his or her blood glucose levels without spilling a drop of blood.

Breakthrough Helps Women Conceive

Some completely unexpected results of biopsies performed on women with fertility problems have led to a new path of scientific discovery that may hold hope for women trying to conceive.

Cellular Weather Watch

For years, engineers have tried to improve the quality of cellular phone reception by minimizing the effects of weather changes. But Israeli engineers from Tel Aviv University’s School of Engineering actually took advantage of the problem and found that they could measure rainfall more accurately by monitoring the cellular environment than using radar.

Reconnaissance Satellite Successful

Israel has deemed its new reconnaissance satellite a success. The state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) said the Eros-B1 satellite has relayed images that demonstrated design capabilities. Eros-B1 was said to have a high resolution image capability of less than 0.7 meters (27 inches).

“The short period of time taken to manufacture the satellite and its high quality photos are an unprecedented technological achievement,” IAI president Itzhak Nissan said.

Virtual Reality Helps People Walk

An innovative device, developed by Prof. Yoram Baram of the Technion Faculty of Computer Science, uses virtual reality to improve walking in the elderly, as well as in Parkinson’s patients, stroke victims and, more generally, people with movement disorders—possibly reducing their need for medication or surgery.