What if the cracked screen of your mobile phone or the solar panels providing energy to a satellite could self-repair?

These kinds of robots and electronics are not only a matter of science fiction — where self-aware machines can heal themselves — but of real interest for scientists and technology developers. Researchers from Technion, say self-repairing electronics may be possible and have the tech to prove it.

As the use of technology intensifies, electronics that have longer life spans become more valuable and essential for critical operations. The technology we use every day — smartphones, laptops, or tablets — has a very limited life span. These short life cycles are mostly due to electronic damage and normal degradation of electronic parts, including lithium batteries. From the government to the private tech industry, electronic damage can have significant consequences. For example, a study from the Electrostatic Discharge Association estimated that industries could lose up to £4 billion per year due to electrostatic electronic damage alone. By 2022, with an ever-expanding global cloud powered by endless servers, the risks are even higher.

Smoke, fire, water, dust, corrosion, temperature variations, radiation, mechanical shock, impact, contact failure, and thermal stress … there are numerous ways in which electronics can be damaged (via LiveWire). On the other hand, other technologies like NASA space technology or commercial satellites, which cannot be accessed for maintenance or repairs, require longer life spans but still depend on electronics susceptible to damage. Self-healing electronics, while still a dream, could become the “holy tech grail.”

A research group led by Professor Yehonadav Bekenstein from the Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering and the Solid-State Institute at Technion was studying perovskite nanoparticles for their potential to provide a green alternative to toxic lead materials used heavily in electronics. In doing so, they found something unexpected.

The team found on a microscopic level that the nanocrystals moved a hole (damage) through the areas of a structure to self-heal. Surprised by this, the researchers drew up a code to analyze microscopic videos and understand the dynamics and movements within the crystal. The researchers realized that the damaged area, or hole, formed on the surface of the nanoparticles, then moved to energetically stable areas inside, and was finally “spontaneously ejected” out. Researchers explained that through this self-healing process, the nanocrystals essentially reverted back to being undamaged (per Technion). 

Researchers at the Technion believe that this discovery is a key step toward understanding the processes by which these nanoparticles can heal themselves. The team also thinks that perovskite nanoparticles should be used in solar panels and other electronic devices.

The Israel Institute of Technology (TECHNION) has announced the establishment of the country’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) research institute for medical technology solutions.

The Technion’s Zimin Institute for AI Solutions in Healthcare, which was jointly launched and operated with the Russian charity Zimin Foundation on Sunday, will focus on multidisciplinary research and technological development in human health and medicine using big data and computational learning, according to a statement from Technion.

Zimin Institute for AI Solutions intends to improve human healthcare on all levels, including hospitals, clinics, drug development, home therapy, and medical wearables. “This new centre is a crucial component of Technion President Uri Sivan’s goal of collaboration and connectivity between research, engineering, and medicine,” said Technion President Uri Sivan.

“It will support applied research that will speed the creation of new and important technologies with real-world applications,” he added.

The Israeli Institute of Technology continues to be at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions to help protect our planet.

This development coincides with Better Speech and Hearing Month

Israeli scientists at the Technion – Israel Institute of Science have engineered a working ear, alongside Sheba Medical Centre.

Led by Professor Shulamit Levenberg of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, the team combined techniques of organ printing, tissue engineering and the extraction of human cells to create a custom implant that can be used to replace ears that don’t develop properly in utero.

The scaffold, which allows for the formation of the new ear, is designed from a CT scan of the patient’s ear.

It is hoped the breakthrough will significantly help children with microtia – a condition in which the underdeveloped ear is small, malformed and sometimes unable to hear. 

Previously, it was treated using cartilage tissue from the ribs, which is both painful and comes with the risk of added complications. The new surgery can also be performed at the age of six instead of after 10, which may also help reduce the psychological effects for children who, up until now, have had to start school with a malformed ear.

It could also be tailored to “other applications, such as nasal reconstruction and fabrication of various orthopedic implants”, Professor Levenberg hopes.

Microtia affects 0.1% to 0.3% of births.

Each May, Better Hearing and Speech Month helps raise awareness about communication disorders and hearing health.

The Israeli Institute of Technology continues to be at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions to help protect our planet 

In September 2020, Israel, the U.S., the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, normalising relations between Israel and the two Arab nations.

President of Mohammed VI University in Morocco, Hicham El Habti, presents a gift to Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan.

Morocco and Sudan followed suit three months later. Now, the Technion has signed an agreement of academic cooperation with Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), “reflecting a rapid and dramatic historical change in the region,” said Technion President Uri Sivan.

Speaking at a ceremony on the Technion campus in April attended by UM6P President Hicham El Habti and delegations from each university, President Sivan said: “Since the Abraham Accords, we have received delegations from the UAE and Bahrain, countries that none of us ever imagined would come to visit. Both of our institutions – the Technion and UM6P – educate young people and equip them for the future. The cooperation we are establishing here today goes beyond its academic value; it is our duty to the region and the future of the next generation.” 

UM6P President El Habti, who studied applied mathematics, economics, and engineering in France, told his Israeli counterparts: “We are part of an historic era, and we must continue to strengthen ties between Morocco and Israel. As a very young university, we are open to international cooperation and are delighted to establish this relationship with you.”

The two presidents exchanged gifts: President El Habti gave President Sivan a book on the history of Moroccan Jewry, while President Sivan offered President El Habti a glass engraved with the Technion’s insignia. The delegations then visited the David and Janet Polak Visitors Center and the Electron Microscopy Center. Members of the Moroccan delegation also met with individual Technion faculty to discuss research in water engineering, energy, biotechnology, medical engineering, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence.

UM6P focuses on applied research and innovation with an emphasis on African development. Established in 2013, it hosts the most powerful supercomputer in Africa, and has expanded rapidly to become a leading research institution for collaborations between Africa and Europe. It has international partnerships include with, among others, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia Business School, the Max Planck Society, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and McGill University. UM6P prioritizes research and innovation relevant to Morocco and Africa, such as industrialization, food security, sustainable development, mining, and social sciences — many of which are top-priorities in the Technion’s curriculum.

Israel and UAE set to fly to the moon together in 2024 as part of the space IL mission

Israel and UAE are set to fly to the moon together in 2024 as part of the SpaceIL mission

A privately funded space company – led by Technion alumnus Shimon Sarid – has signed a historic international agreement with the United Arab Emirates to fly to the Moon.

The SpaceIL Beresheet 2 mission is just one of several collaborative space missions and follows the historic Abraham Accords signed in 2020 to bolster relations between the two nations.

It follows Israel’s solo attempt to reach the moon in 2019 – the original Beresheet spacecraft – which ended in a crash landing.

“This is the first scientific-technological project to create a common history for the two peoples: the flags of Israel and the Emirates on the moon”, a SpaceIL statement says. “It is about creating a model for cooperation between the two peoples in many aspects — technological, scientific and educational, which will deepen the connection between the countries and serve as inspiration for further cooperation between Israel and all Arab countries.”

“SpaceIL has committed itself to promoting science and science education at the regional and global levels while also contributing to the processes of normalization and regional peace through collaborations with peace-loving and space-seeking countries,” CEO Shimon Sarid said at the signing ceremony.

“We are pleased to cooperate with the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, hand in hand with the [Israeli] Ministry of Science and the Israel Space Agency.”

It is hotly anticipated that the $100 million mission could break several records in outer-space history, including a double moon landing in one mission and the launch of the smallest ever aircraft.

The plan is to keep one of the orbiters in Space for about five years as a platform for educational activities, enabling scientific research to continue. 

One such project will see university students from both Israel and UAE determine the precise time of the New Moon using data from the mission. The lunar calendar governs both Jewish and Muslim dates and major holidays.

Both the Israel Space Agency and the UAE Space Agency also plan to publish a call for joint research to use the mission’s data to examine phenomena related to the growing global climate crisis.

April marks both the International Day of Human Space Flight and International Earth Day.

The Israeli Institute of Technology continues to be at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions to help protect our planet – both inside and outside the university

Technion UK – Out of this world trip to Israel

A group from the United Kingdom representing Technion UK have just finished their first trip to Israel in more than two years.

Amongst the many people they met and places they visited, one of the start-ups that they went to was Space Pharma. 

Space Pharma Is an Israeli Start Up that is connected to the Technion. Their mission is to leverage their miniaturised microgravity lab technology, enabling unprecedented possibilities to develop new drugs in Space. All this at a fraction of the cost, with higher success rates than experiements conducted with traditional research methods. They are aiming to bring a positive impact on millions of lives here on Earth.

They are currently launching three experiments in Space, one of which is completely connected to the Technion and is aimed at growing meat products from animal cells but outside the body of an animal.

Their space program, Aleph Zero, is part of their mission to produce quality, delicious meat, independent of climate or availability of natural resources.  Coping with fast-changing temperatures, limited access to natural resources and zero gravity conditions, drives efficiency in their processes. In space, they can develop closed-loop systems with zero waste and zero emissions. Knowledge from these explorations and technologies developed in space are then implemented in their sustainability and operational practices on Earth.

Of the three founders behind the Israeli company behind autonomous tractors, two are alumni of the Israel Institute of Technology

As the International Day of Forests approaches (Monday, March 21), two alumni of the Technion are revolutionising the agricultural industry.

Founded in 2017 by Yair Shahar and Aviram Shmueli, along with Ben Alfi, Blue White Robotics started as a platform that connects autonomous systems to real-world applications.

Hoping to create a “cohesive” experience across farming operations, its smart tractors are designed to improve farm productivity, precision and worker safety. It comes amid a growing disruption within the industry as farmers continue to reap the benefits of smart technology, especially with the world’s growing demand for food in mind.

The ultimate solution for the company is for permanent crops, which usually means trees, shrubs or anything that can last several seasons, instead of being replanted after each harvest.

The current focus is California, due to its being the main market to suffer from labour shortages and increasing costs, although the company has also started projects in Israel.

The theme for this year’s International Day of Forests is “Forests and sustainable production and consumption.”

Intel CPU
Intel CPU

Tower Semiconductor, which has two Technion alumni as directors, has been valued at roughly $3.6 billion

The U.S. microchip behemoth is close to a deal of almost $6 billion to buy Tower Semiconductor, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal.

The Israeli company, whose shares trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market, makes semiconductors and circuits used in the automotive, mobile, medical and aerospace industries and operates manufacturing facilities in Israel, California, Texas and Japan.

Kalman Kaufman, Director and Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, and Michal Vakrat Wolkin, also Director, both hold degrees from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

This deal follows a long line of other global imprints Technion has left on the high-tech world, such as ISMLL, the world’s first autonomous traffic management platform and VoiceItt, an innovative speech impairment app.

With a market value of almost $200 billion, Intel has plans to invest at least $20 billion in new chip-making capacity due to a global shortage that has hampered the production of everything from smartphones to cars.

A deal is expected imminently.

Now Dr Hodaya Oliel is speaking out about her incredible journey and how the Israel Institute of Technology helped her fulfil her dreams

A Technion alumnus has become the first person in Israel with cerebral palsy to graduate with a medical degree.

Dr Hodaya Oliel, who’s currently a resident in the Pediatrics Bet department at the Shamir Medical Center, “always wanted to be a doctor” and views her countless surgeries as a child and teenager as God’s way of showing her “what it’s like to be a child who is hospitalised.”

Now 27, she was born prematurely at just 27 weeks and spent three months in the NICU. Being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at just six months, she lost some motor function in her legs, but her cognitive function was, fortunately, unaffected.

“It was never easy, but I remember being so curious about everything I saw, even the operating room”, she told the Jerusalem Post. “These experiences are what spurred me to succeed in high school and while I was studying for my psychometric exam. I didn’t make any backup plans for if I didn’t succeed. That was not an option.

“Everyone needs to live with the lot they were given, and not give up on their dreams when the going gets tough. These dreams are worth fighting for. There were so many moments when I felt like giving up, but my dream was too important, so I kept trudging through the hard times. Reaching my goal was what kept me going.”

“I really love the Technion and truly appreciate everyone there, many of whom are good people who helped me overcome all the difficulties I faced. I do not take any of this for granted for even one second.”

She plans to specialise in paediatric neurology so that she can help both children and families struggling with the same condition. 

The Israeli Institute of Technology continues to be at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions to help protect our planet – both inside and outside the university

A growing number of impressive Israeli startups – borne out of Technion minds – are making improvements in several different areas of the environment:

  • SkyX – which develops autonomous aircraft that scan large areas of land to analyse data on infrastructure projects – was co-founded by Technion alumni
  • Luminescent – which delivers greener solutions to generate heat and electricity – has a Technion lecturer on its team
  • H2Pro – which generates hydrogen and oxygen in a cheaper and less harmful way – was founded by leading hydrogen experts from the university
  • Asterra (formerly Utilis) – which uses technology to detect leaks, saving billions of gallons of water – has as its VP yet another Technion alumnus
  • Most of the team behind Breezometer – which aims to monitor air quality and help improve people’s health – graduated from the Institute
  • Chakratec – which offers kinetic energy storage technologies to fast-charging stations for electric cars – has as its CEO a Technion alumnus

Meanwhile, another Israeli startup is behind the concept of enabling buildings to create their own energy amid soaring electricity consumption worldwide.

TurboGen – whose President and CEO, Yaron Gilboa, is a Technion alumnus – has introduced small, lightweight, easy-to-use and efficient microturbines that can generate electricity, heat and cooling.

They can replace traditional boilers and air conditioners across residential buildings, hospitals, offices, and hotels using natural gas.

While a standard generator usually reaches 35-40% efficiency, “the prototype we built at our lab in Petah Tikva will reach 90% efficiency”, according to Gilboa.

“The advantages of the system are lowering electricity and heating costs in buildings, providing resistance to power outages and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by replacing the boiler,” he is reported to have said.

“This technology can also lower real estate and rental prices of apartments and offices.”

Looking to the future, he hopes to utilise solar dishes to power the turbines, meaning the system “could run 100% on renewable green resources.”