Bush To Israel: How About A Mega Radar System?

In order to help bolster Israel's defenses against "less than friendly" neighbors (both near and far), President Bush is giving Israel a powerful new radar system that should compliment its missile defense shield quite nicely.

(Ynet News) The system Bush may offer is known as a forward-based X-band radar and has been described by US officials as capable of tracking an object the size of a baseball from about 2,900 miles away.

It would let Israel's Arrow missile defenses engage a Shahab-3 ballistic missile about halfway through what would be its 11-minute flight to Israel from Iran, or six times sooner than Israel's "Green Pine" Radar is currently capable of doing, Kirk said on Friday.

"This is the best thing to lower tensions between Israel and Iran" because Iran presumably would be less likely to attack under such circumstances, Kirk said.

While the radar system will help reduce the threat against Israel from Iran, it should also help the tiny Jewish state combat rockets being launched from Gaza as well as from the hostile regions inside of Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank).

Video: Israel's Conceptic Helping Restaurants Go High Tech

Probably one of the most stressful parts of ordering food at a restaurant is...well the ordering!

While many (if not most) waiters/waitresses are excellent at receiving orders from their customer, there is always a chance that a mix up can occur--especially if someone orders one thing while expecting something completely different.

Conceptic, a company based in Israel hopes to change all of this by offering a hi-tech solution in order to avoid a potential problem.

(Video: Conceptic has developed new e-menus that allow restaurant customers to order their meals from a touch screen. Credit: Israel 21^st Century)

Conceptic is fairly confident that this technology will benefit not only food lovers, but the respective restaurant owners as well.

Cell Phones Can Aid Medical Personal With A Diagnosis?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an image capturing a disease is probably worth a million, especially if it can help save someone's life.

Unfortunately many medical facilities do not have either the technology, funding or training to take advantage of imaging a disease, a fact all to familiar to those living in third world countries.

Despite this fact, many of these doctors, nurses, etc. do have cell phones, and one Israeli scientists is trying to take advantage of that in order to help these medical professionals aid their patients.

(Israel 21^st Century) Israeli researchers have discovered a way to transmit medical images via a cellular phone, opening up the possibility of providing sophisticated diagnosis and treatment to millions of people who live a long distance from modern medical centers. [...]

"Imaging is considered one of the most important achievements in modern medicine," said Rubinsky. "Diagnosis and treatment of an estimated 20 percent of diseases would benefit from medical imaging, yet this advancement has been out of reach for millions of people in the world because the equipment is too costly to maintain. Our system would make imaging technology inexpensive and accessible for these underserved populations."

Using Rubinsky's technology, an independent data acquisition device (DAD) with limited controls and no image display, at a remote patient site, would be connected via cellular phone technology with an advanced image reconstruction and hardware control multiserver unit, at a central site (which can be anywhere in the world).

According to Rubinsky, this technology should also help bring down the cost, which will make these tests more affordable (and hopefully conducted more frequently) for medical outposts in remote areas.

This technology has the potential of helping not only doctors located in remote places around the world, but also disaster sites (which are often located in isolated regions due to the disaster or geography).

(Image Credit: Nicky via Israel 21^st Century)

Israel Tech Could Help Reduce Heart Attacks

When it comes to avoiding heart attacks, a healthy diet and even good old fashioned exercise can help keep ones heart happy, healthy and (most importantly) beating at strong rhythm.

Unfortunately this may not be enough for some people--especially for those suffering from endothelium dysfunction (also called ED).

Fortunately for these patients, there is a new device that may help them and their doctors detect this in order to avoid a potential heart attack.

(Israel 21^st Century) Before now, there were only two real techniques to measure ED - neither of which were very practical according to Amitzur, one of Israel's top cardiovascular experts, and the inventor of the Endotect.

In one method, an invasive operating procedure is necessary, and in the other, an expensive, complicated ultrasound-type device is used to measure the endothelium, requiring a large investment and intensive training for proper use (Israel, for all it's advanced medical infrastructure, has only one medical center with the device).

The Endotect, on the other hand, is relatively inexpensive, and easy to use - so easy that any doctor will be able to run tests in their offices, in as little as 15 minutes. The Endotect determines the condition of the endothelium by non-invasively measuring the pulse at two main points on the arm (radial artery and brachial artery), comparing the pulse before and after pressure is applied to the arm.

According to the article, this device is very close to being approved by the FDA, so your local heart physician probably does not have access to one of these--at least not yet.

Hopefully once approved, Endotect will be able to not only help reduce the number of heart attacks by providing early warning of ED, but potentially the cost of doing these tests (which could translate into lower bills for patients).

(Image Credit: Cardiatec, via Israel 21^st Century)

Video: Israel's Guardium (Think Batmobile Minus Batman)

(Hat Tip: Gizmodo)

As any Israelis soldier knows, their is nothing "romantic" about patrolling a hostile border along the Israeli security fence. Especially when you have insurgents focused on causing you harm.

But instead of sending out soldiers to confront those who seek to trespass the security fence, Israel may end up sending a robotic rover courtesy of the Israel Aerospace Industries.

(Video: Animation coupled with real footage showing how The Guardium can help thwart potential terrorist attacks. Credit: Israel Aerospace Industries)

(Fox News) The Guardium, an unmanned ground vehicle commissioned by the Israeli military and shown to The Associated Press on Monday, is essentially a robotic soldier, among the first in the world to be operational. It can replace human soldiers in dangerous roles, cutting casualty rates.

Like the pilotless drones that have become a mainstay of air forces in Israel, the U.S. and elsewhere, the four-wheeled Guardium is operated from a command room that can be far from the front line.

It can be mounted with cameras, night-vision equipment and sensors, as well as more lethal tools like machine guns.

Following pre-programmed routes, it can navigate alone through cities — the vehicle knows how to deal with intersections, traffic and road markings. It can patrol borders, its cameras scanning 360 degrees at all times, and alert operators if it spots anything suspicious.

The Guardium costs around $600,000 for the vehicle alone--millions more if one includes ammunition and software to run this vehicle.

Even though its not battle tested yet, hopefully the Israeli's will be able to launch several dozen of these (note: with a group discount included) as it could not only save lives for Israeli Defense Forces patrolling the border, but also their enemies as it may prove to be a useful deterrent.

Kosher Silicon Valley, With A Medical, Agricultural Twist

Image via Wikipedia To those who only glimpse the Jewish state through an average media portal, the holy land at best is a place full of ancient religious relics or at worst a region full of conflict.

But what many of them may not realize is that Israel is actually a land full of innovation--affecting the world both in cyberspace, as well as offline.

(Jewish Exponent) But perhaps a sampling of innovations that originated in Israel conveys the story more powerfully. Beginning with modern drip irrigation -- an agricultural technique that has been replicated around the globe -- Israeli innovators soon left soil behind and moved directly into cyberspace. They created the Pentium III and Centrino microprocessors; the computer program that became AOL Instant Messenger; the first mass-market firewall that protects a system from viruses; and an ingestible camera that allows doctors to peer inside a patient's insides without making an incision.

Whether its creating oral insulin, terrabyte DVD's, flying cars, purifying water or even finding ways to create energy from seaweed, Israel is quickly establishing itself as the land of innovation.

Note: Did I mention that Israel is close to bringing us hydrogen powered cars? ;-)

Welcome To Eilat! (Israel's Future Solar City)

(Image Credit: Thomas Springer via Wikipedia)

Eilat, a city located in the southern half of Israel is often known for its beautiful skies and cloudless days, not to mention

But it looks as if the tourist town may receive a new title in the future, as it prepares to demonstrate to the world that communities can be powered by "green" energy.

(Israel National News) The Infrastructure Ministry has announced a mammoth project that will supply Eilat with almost of its needed electricity by using a solar power station. Approximately 3,000 acres will be set aside for the project. Ministry officials said that there are very few cloudy days in Eilat that would require using electricity from the Israel Electric Corp. (IEC).

Israeli's seem to be very comfortable harnessing the power of the sun, exploring new and innovative ways to improve solar technology, not to mention helping other regions ranging from California to Korea.

Adopting solar energy should help Israel deal with the rising demand of energy, which may help convince other nations that going green is in fact a good idea.

Israel Tech: Find Your Facebook Friends, Offline?

One of the greatest things about social networks like Facebook is that it gives users the ability to connect with friends (both old and new), not to mention easily communicate with each other without maxing out the phone bill.

Unfortunately for many people (if not most), social networks only work if one is connected to the world wide web. WiPeer (previously reviewed on IsraGood) may have developed a "solution" around this by allowing users to connect with friends over short distances, even when both of you are offline.

(American Technion Society) Imagine you're stuck in an airport during a delay, and (gasp!) you don't have an Internet connection. Thanks to a new Facebook application developed at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, you'd still be able to use your laptop computer - sans Internet - to detect Facebook friends (and friends of those friends) who have also installed the application, making it possible to network, chat, share files and directories, play collaborative games, or actually meet face-to-face.

According to scientists at the Technion, there are two components to the application, dubbed "Peersonalizer": a Facebook application and a module inside the free, downloadable WiPeer software (http://www.wipeer.com) developed by lead researcher Professor Roy Friedman's team last year. [WiPeer makes direct wireless (WiFi) communication between computers possible - without intermediary devices (such as Internet routers) - at distances of up to 900 ft.].

The article goes on to elaborate that this technology could potentially be applied to the iPhone, which would delight Apple fans everywhere (note: this author included).

Users can check out the Facebook Application, although hopefully these guys (as well as gals if any work there) will consider creating a version for Google's OpenSocial, in order to tap into the other social networks around the world.

Aquaguard: Reducing Water Costs For Cities And Neighborhoods

Stream Control, an Israeli company operating in the water tech industry may have developed a way to help reduce the costs of pumping water to homes by finding a way to thwart water leaks--before they start.

(Israel 21^st Century) Water moves through the underground supply pipes, available for use instantly when people turn on the tap. So what does the water do when it doesn't get used? It just sits there - and gets "pushed" from behind as more water from the reservoir seeks to move forward through the system. This increases the water pressure, stressing the pipes - and encouraging leaks at the pipe joints and at other weak "stress points". [...]

"Our product is connected to the municipal water system at a neighborhood pipe 'branch,' regulating the pressure flow into that branch pipe which serves the neighborhood residents," Avitbul says. "Depending on household demand for water flow, Aquaguard will regulate the pressure, matching pressure with demand. In places where we have deployed it, Aquaguard has reduced leakage by at least 30%."

Aquagaurd has already been deployed in Jerusalem with promising results, and according to the article they are already seeking to expand throughout Europe including Italy, Germany and Spain.

While the technology is not cheap (it costs about $10,000 per unit), cities may be able to save money in the long term instead of having to acquire the necessary funds to cover the loss via taxes from "generous citizens."

Israel: A New Way To Fix Broken Leg Bones?

Traditionally when leg bones are severely broken, doctors would need to open up the patient's leg and insert a rod with screws--a painful process as far as the patient is concerned.

But now it looks as if an Israeli doctor has come up with an alternative that may not only be less painful, but easier on their bodies as well.

(Israel 21^st Century) Orthogon is developing a magnetically activated, telescopic, intramedullary (IM) orthopedic nail for treatment of long bones. Traditionally, IM nails are inert rods inserted into the bone marrow to align and stabilize fractures in the femur or tibia.

Orthogon's device magnetizes parts in the rod mechanism, so the nail can be manipulated via an external magnetic coil, allowing it to vibrate, compress or elongate the bone. [...]

Once the IM nail is implanted, patients are treated daily by placing their leg into a coil system that creates a magnetic pulse. The magnetic force inside the nail is amplified by mechanical means, in steps of 0.5 microns, to a distraction force of over 100k, forming a flexible callus tissue that is pulled incrementally.

Despite the fact that similar solutions already exist in Germany and the US, Orthogon's solution may actually be cheaper (and more effective) than its rivals (which could result in lower medical bills).

Note: Orthogon's solution is still in development (and awaiting FDA approval) although readers can check out a video explanation (flash required) of what their technology is all about.

Should Skype Be Worried About Israel's Spikko?

It looks like another company may be positioning itself to dethrone the VoIP King, Skype. But unlike Jajah which hooks into one's email account, Spikko seeks to challenge eBay's chat program by presenting an alternative "business model."

(Globes Online) Spikko Ltd., a start-up that has been operating in stealth mode for three years, claims that it has found a way to offer free telephone calls and make a profit at it. The company's technology offers VoIP telephony services gratis for members. The only way to join the service is by invitation from an existing member. The service currently has 50,000 members. [...]

Spikko CEO Shay Gilboa: "Each user receives a local telephone number and an initial grant. For each incoming call, he receives credit to make an outgoing call by either landline or mobile. Each call goes to a computer, and will soon also go to a mobile telephone. The calls go to the devices' data channel, which means that the average payment (for airtime) will be no more than NIS 0.05 per minute, which will be collected by the cellular operator."

It will be interesting to see Skype reaction to this (that is if they actually consider them to be a serious threat). Currently Skype offers users various rates that range from two cents a minute to a quarter (and even more!).

Despite the high rates to other countries, Skype still seems to be cheaper in Israel than Spikko, although if the latter can keep its prices at a nickel a minuete (regardless of which country you call) we may see this author switch over...at least when calling friends in India. ;-)

Mytopia: Israeli Innovation For Social Network Gamers

One neat phenomenom about social networks is that they give users the ability to communicate and "poke" friends, even from long distances. While many of them have games on them, very few allow users from once social network to play the same game against a player from another.

Fortunately it seems as if an Israeli company called Mytopia hopes to change all of that--real soon.

(TechCrunch) There is a new casual gaming network in town that's got some serious cross-platform chops. Don't be fooled by the cutesy graphics. Today, Mytopia is simultaneously launching across Facebook, Bebo, MySpace (currently pending approval) and its own Website with eight games (Chess, Backgammon, Sudoku, Dominoes, Bingo, Spades, Hearts, Video Poker). On Monday, it will release the same games across the major Web and desktop widgets: iGoogle Gadgets, Apple Dashboard Widgets, Yahoo Widgets and Windows Vista Toolbar Widgets.

Here's the thing: the games work across all of these platforms. You can be on Facebook playing cards with one friend on MySpace and another on Bebo. And you can control what people on each network see about you. For instance, you can present your real profile to your friends on Facebook, and a different Mytopia avatar to everyone else. These are the sort of apps that could one day break Facebook's, or any social network's, hold on its members.

As the popularity of this game spreads, it will not be all that surprising to see Mytopia spread to other social networks with a more international flavor (such as Hi5 and orkut).

Note: Hopefully Mytopia can find a way to add this program to the iPhone, as many users (this author included) would be dying to play chess against friends on Facebook during the lunch break).

Israeli Tech: Microsoft Assimilates Kidaro

After previously snapping up Secured Dimensions and YaData, Microsoft's continues its holiday shopping with its latest purchase of Kidaro, a company located in the holy land.

(Globes Online) Microsoft Corp. has announced its intended acquisition of Israeli start-up company Kidaro, a provider of desktop virtualization solutions for enterprises. The announcement does not mention the acquisition price, but sources in Israel's high-tech industry estimate it at between $90 million and $100 million. "Globes" reported the impending acquiistion announcement yesterday. [...]

Microsoft's announcement said, "In combining Kidaro’s virtualization technology with its suite of desktop management tools, known as the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance, Microsoft will enable IT professionals to optimize their desktop infrastructure by providing management capabilities for Virtual PCs, streamlining deployments and easing application compatibility issues."

Microsoft has made a steady habit of shopping for the best of Israeli minds in an attempt to thwart Google (who has secured its dominance upon Silicon Valley).

The software giant sees Israel as a means to dethrone Google, who has ironically been making various assaults against Microsoft's "bread and butter" by purchasing iRows.

It will be interesting to see in a decade which company comes out on top, but regardless of the results Israeli's (along with their American friends) are going to enjoy reaping the rewards of this mega tech war.

Israel: Another Giant Leap For Hydrogen Powered Cars

(Image Credit: Jerusalem Post)

Despite the fact that another Jewish mind is pursuing hydrogen powered vehicles, it looks as if some Israeli innovation could bring about these energy wonders much sooner than we think.

(Israel 21^st Century) Most hydrogen vehicles on the road use a liquid form of the material, which requires a super strong and super heavy storage tank. Liquid hydrogen is unstable and needs to be insulated from the excess shocks of bumps and potholes that are a part of everyday driving, so the tanks themselves are large and heavy, and hold at most 20 liters of fuel - enough for barely 250 kilometers of driving. [...]

The difference? C.En's tank uses hydrogen gas, collected from the environment (i.e. not produced from fossil fuels) and enclosed in a thin but leak proof glass container. The best part: You'll be able to buy your "gas" at automotive or discount stores, fueling up every 600 kilometers or so.

"We can build a 60-liter tank that can travel up to 600 km. and weighs no more than 50 kg.," Stern said, unlike tanks currently used for liquid hydrogen that weigh hundreds of kilos.["]

Stern's latest breakthrough has caused so much concern in the oil industry that according to the article they allegedly offered him $50 million to shelve the product.

Fortunately for us, Stern chose the higher path, and if successful his invention would allow consumers to simply store extra "hydrogen batteries" in their car trunks, popping them in only when they run out of fuel.

US Investors: Israeli Med Tech Is The New Black?

With the American economy not doing so well, one would expect to see investors more cautious about spending their money, especially over seas.

But it seems as if a few US investors are taking another glance at Israel's medical tech industry, which may be the sign of a new trend.

(Israel 21^st Century) "We planned to raise $150 million but the fund is already oversubscribed at $162 million," says Jeff Dykan, managing director of the Tel Aviv-based fund, pointing out that the fund could end up turning away investors. "We won't go over $200 million," he says.

SCP Vitalife's success in raising money at time of global economic uncertainty is based on the track record of Dykan, and co-manager Avi Ludomirsky who just four years ago set up a $50 million fund that invested in 17 Israeli startups that have done exceedingly well.

Their success stories include the sale last March of Haifa-based Sightline to Stryker Corp. in a $140 million deal. Sightline is the developer of a new flexible endoscope for gastro-intestinal procedures. Stryker's satisfaction with the deal is reflected in the fact that it has now also invested in the new SCPVitalife Fund.

This comes to no surprise to those already familiar with the real Israel as the tiny nation continues to lead the way in medial breakthroughs.

Hopefully in the future we will be able to see other investors from Asia and Europe get involved within Israeli Med Tech scene, as having it dominated by "US Americans" can get a little old after awhile. ;-)

Important Note: Before you invest in any company you should do your own research to cover your own "rear end." Google Finance may be a great place to start.

Microsoft Gobbles Up Israel's YaData

(Hat Tip: TechCrunch and VC Cafe)

In its eternal quest to conquer Google, it looks as if Microsoft has assimilated another Israeli company--one with the potential to help the Redmond giant compete against Google's AdSense.

(Globes Online) YaData's technology will enable Microsoft to provide its advertisers with richer targeting capabilities so they can connect with their audience in more efficient and engaging ways, at the same time providing its customers more relevant and focused ads. The YaData team will join Microsoft's R&D center in Herzliya and YaData’s solutions will be deployed through Microsoft’s Advertiser and Publisher Solutions group. [...]

YaData CEO Amir Peleg said, "YaData fully believes in the potential of behavioral targeting to enhance the value of online advertising for publishers, advertisers and users. Microsoft has the resources to unlock the potential in YaData's technology and create a truly innovative online advertising solution. We're excited to see what the future holds."

Microsoft has previously bought out another startup, not to mention the fact that they have been scouting out Israeli's with super geek skills for quite some time now.

It will be interesting to see whether or not YaData, which means "You Knew" in Hebrew (hat tip: Eze Vidra of VC Cafe) will be able to help Microsoft defeat the search engine king in the near future.

Helicopter Plus Elevator Equals "Elecopter?"

While to many the cross breading of helicopters and elevators sounds like an engineering project "gone wild," this combination brought about by Israeli minds may be critical towards saving lives--especially in burning buildings.

(Israel National News) An Israeli engineer has designed a "elecopter" that includes an elevator in a helicopter, enabling it to rescue people from high-rise fires or from ravines too narrow for regular helicopters to navigate. [...]

[Nehemia Cohen] helicopter's cabin is designed like a sling basket that is connected to sets of cables, like an elevator. The helicopter can lower the cabin up to 1,000 feet, a distance that would prevent the heat of the fire from damaging the aircraft. "The basis of the idea is to separate the rescue unit from the helicopter," Cohen told Globes.

Created by Olive Engineering, the Elecopter interest may expand beyond the civilian sector, as the military could use to evacuate troops from uneven terrain.

As an emergency vehicle, the Elecopter may also prove to be more useful than the electric flying car, as the chopper could stay above harms way as it rescues civilians trapped in a potential burning building.

While it has yet to prove itself in the "real world" (as they say), this Israeli invention could easily become the norm worldwide within a decade after entering the market.

(Image Credit: Olive Engineering)

Yahoo! Opening Its First Branch In Haifa

Despite the fact that the company is thwarting a semi-hostile takeover by Microsoft, not to mention celebrating in their latest Israeli startup purchase, Yahoo! has decided to finally "take the plunge" and actually open a development center in Haifa, Israel.

(Globes Online) Yahoo! will soon set up its first branch in Israel. The company will rent a 350-square meter office at Matam at NIS 60 per sq.m. per month under a two-year lease. The company has also rented parking spaces at NIS 400 per space per month. Yahoo! will join other international giants at Matam, such as Google, Microsoft, [and] Intel Inc.

Yahoo! has been busy in Israel, as they are already forming alliances in order to wage a digital war against the Google Goliath.

Hopefully Yahoo! will find some much needed inspiration in the holy land to fight the Microsoft Borg, not to mention some really smart Israeli's well versed in "all things geek."

Israel's Fraud Sciences To Make eBay Safer?

Often seen as the prime spot to shop online, eBay is one of the largest tech companies online (at least as far as shopping goes).

Unfortunately in this day and age, there are plenty of scam artists out there who are attempting to rip off online consumers with fake deals and transactions, which can be quite a headache for companies like eBay.

In order to curb this problem, eBay (through PayPal) has purchased Fraud Sciences, a company based in the holy land.

(TechCrunch) Israel and Palo Alto based Fraud Sciences offers automated anti-fraud systems including Spotlight VFX and Spotlight T2T, merchant solutions the provide transaction verification with fraud prevention. In an October 2007 profile, Israelplug said that Fraud Sciences products "help online retailers verify the identity of buyers and accept orders that they would have seen as suspicious in the past - thus enabling them to increase their sales."

eBay said the acquisition will assist them in significantly improving trust and safety across its sites in 2008. Fraud Sciences' risk tools will be integrated with Paypal fraud management system.

This will come as good news to places like Ghana and Nigeria, which are known for being rampant with consumer fraud online.

eBay's purchase will help legitimate buyers from "troubled nations" buy the goods they need, instead of being blacklisted entirely by merchants because of "bad history" when it comes to online transactions.

Nirosoft: Turning Bad Water Into Fresh Water (Video)

"Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink."

~The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
(by Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Note: Video at the bottom. Image Credit Israel 21^st Century.

Despite the fact that water covers 70% of our planet, this vital liquid is a scarce resource due to our inability to "digest" salt water.

While we have developed ways of purifying salt water through a process called desalination, this often can be an expensive (or tedious) endeavor, especially for third world countries or medium sized corporations.

That is unless you purchase a desalination unit from Israel's Nirosoft, which has found an inexpensive and simple way of purifying water from salty or polluted oceans and streams.

(Israel 21^st Century) "Desalination is cheaper than melting ice," said Mino Negrin, managing director and founder of Nirosoft, which simulated the environment at the Davis Station in its R&D labs.

The company's self-contained desalination unit provides up to 100,000 liters a day of purified, desalinated water. Its Lego-like portability makes it easy to ship by air. "We can produce drinking water from almost any source - sea water, rivers and lakes, brackish groundwater, estuaries and lagoons," said Negrin, who hopes to visit the Antarctic Station sometime this year. [...]

Lack of an energy source is not a constraint. The Israeli company has shipped containerized, self-powered units easily transported by small trucks, to supply drinking water to villages in disaster areas in Honduras, Guatemala and Colombia. Water produced meets the most stringent World Health Organization quality standards.

While Nirosoft has helped out medium sized nations as well as island countries, they may find a large demand coming from China who has yet to figure out a way to quench the thirst of its billion plus population.

Hopefully Nirosoft will be able to meet global demand, as their technology could potentially help make water droughts a distant memory of the past.