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Once feared across the Western world as “Consumption,” today Tuberculosis is still prevalent in poorer parts of the world. As well as being contagious and often lethal, it is difficult to test for, especially in developing countries. A new device by Israeli scientists might be about to make tracking this disease much easier though. 

Tuberculosis (“TB”) is caused by a bacterial infection, and it is estimated that up to a third of the world’s population has it. However, in the majority of cases (latent TB) the disease is not harmful or infectious. In 5 to 10 percent of cases, however, the disease becomes active. At this stage, characterised by conditions such as sneezing, coughing and serious weight loss, TB becomes very infectious. If left untreated at this point it is also fatal half of the time, resulting in nearly a million and half deaths a year.

A research team from Technion – The Israel Institute of Technology – have proposed a revolutionary solution for identifying active TB infections. A patch is painlessly attached to the skin, and then changes colour after an hour – red if the person is infected, green if not.

This represents a considerable improvement on current methods, where samples are sent off to laboratories to be analysed by specialists. Not only is this time-consuming, but many of the worst-affected countries simply do not have regular access to these facilities.

This new patch – a flexible and wearable polymeric pouch – works by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with TB in the air trapped above the skin’s surface.Sensors in the patch in effect are analysing the ‘smell’ of the person to see if they match the profile of someone with TB.

So far this patch has been tested on 1,000 people in South Africa, India and Latvia, supported by funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The team hopes that they will be able to get the patch on to the market within a few years.

If this happens, it will represent another success for the Technion. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “A fast, simple and cheap test for TB is nothing to be sniffed at. If successful, current methods for identifying this deadly disease won’t be a patch on this patch. Yet again, thousands of lives could be saved by pioneering new technology from Technion researchers.”

About The Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

One of the most popular new technologies is voice activation. Smart speakers such as Alexa and Siri allow users to perform everyday tasks simply by speaking to them, and this feature will only become more common. For those with severe speech impediments and disabilities, however, this type of technology has been inaccessible – until a pioneering Israeli company intervened.

Smart speakers are compact speaker devices that connect to the internet and can be activated via voice commands – mimicking a conversation between the user and the device itself. Common functions are the ability to play music or set timers, but more advanced versions can act as virtual home assistants. 

This means they can manage more complex tasks such as changing light and temperature settings, opening and closing windows and doors, and ordering food deliveries. All of these would be of particular value to those who are disabled, helping them to live more independently. Those with speech impairments would not be able to benefit from this though, which is why Voiceitt was launched.

Voiceitt is an app that integrates with smart speakers such as Alexa, enabling these programmes to recognise uncommon speech patterns. The user repeats several key words and phrases multiple times, allowing Voiceitt to recognise the way that individual speaks. Next, it uses artificial intelligence to build a complete speech model so that it can recognise a much broader range of words and instructions. The more time the user spends providing information – such as repeating a specific phrase for a few minutes – the better Voiceitt will become at understanding ever more complex speech patterns.

The start-up was co-founded by Danny Weissberg and Stas Tiomkin in 2012, two graduates of the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “When it comes to inclusivity, Voiceitt really talks the talk. The brilliance of this artificial intelligence programme is almost enough to leave you speechless – representing another amazing contribution from Technion graduates.”

About The Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

One of the most challenging medical conditions is serious loss of tissue. Unlike certain animals, humans have only a limited capacity for regrowing missing body parts, which is how the science of auto-grafting has been developed. Moving tissue from one part of the body to another is still complicated though – but pioneering research from Israel may be about to make it easier.

Autografting revolves around replacing a missing piece of the body with another. For example, if there has been a significant loss of bone in a hip or knee which means that section of the skeleton can no longer repair itself, a piece of rib could be grafted in instead. The key to success is the supporting infrastructure of soft tissue and blood vessels that enables the bone to heal. This material therefore also needs to be transplanted from one area of the body to the other.

This is the issue that Professor Shulamit Levenberg is taking on. Levenberg works in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. Along with her colleagues, she is part of a lab that is looking to grow this specialised tissue in vats so that it can be used for auto-grafting. This lab has now successfully built soft tissue with blood vessels from dental pulp, which is the material inside teeth. The stem cells from the dental pulp help blood vessels to form, supporting tissue growth and healing.

This new procedure has been trialled in repairing a bone defect in rats, inserting specially cultivated tissue rather than the traditional method of using existing tissue from another part of the body. This new tissue is deemed to have been more effective in enabling the surgery to heal, whilst also not needing to create another wound in order to extract material to be transplanted, as is usually the case.
In the future, this research could allow patients to receive bespoke bone and tissue matter created in vats, rather than needing to remove it from another part of their body. Where this to be case, it would represent another significant contribution to medical science by the Technion. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Being able to grow your own replacements for missing body parts in a lab might sound like science fiction, but it may soon become reality thanks to pioneering research at the Technion – and that’s the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth!”

About The Technion:
The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

Sometimes dismissed as merely a severe headache, migraines are officially classed as one of the most common debilitating conditions in the world.

Nerivio Migra® is a smartphone-controlled neurostimulation device indicated to treat acute migraines. Image courtesy of Theranica Bioelectronics.

Regarded by some sources as the third most common disease in the world – ahead of illnessessuch as asthma and diabetes – migraines also have a significant impact on the individual and society. Most sufferers are unable to work during an attack, which in turn has a knock-on effect on the wider economy.

A new, award-winning device from Israel may be about to transform this situation.
Theranica is a Netanya-based company that specialises in wearable therapeutic devices that aim to alleviate pain without the need for drugs or medication. One such product is Nerivio – a grey strap-like device that is wrapped around the upper arm. According to Theranica, Nerivio stimulates the nerves in that area which in turn inhibits pain elsewhere.
According to Theranica, this method results in over two-thirds of Nerivio users experiencing less discomfort during a migraine attack – with some users now living completely migraine-free. This impact was recognised when Nerivio recently won the ‘Best New Technology Solution’ award in the ‘Pain Management’ category at the prestigious MedTech Breakthrough Awards programme.

Nerivio was developed with research and guidance fromProfessor David Yarnitsky, the head of the Neurology Department at the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. With Yatnitsky on the medical advisory board of Theranica, Nerivio represents another significant contribution by the Israeli university.
Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “For too long migraines have represented a serious medical headache, being both incredibly painful and surprisingly common. By drawing on the expertise of the Technion, however, Nerivio could help keep future migraines at arm’s length.”

About The Technion:
The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

A new Israeli Covid test has been approved for use by the EU, opening the door for quick results across Europe and the rest of the world – including at airports. The timing of the announcement is significant.

As increasing numbers of people have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, demand is growing for a full return to unrestrictedinternational air travel. While the global pandemic affected everyone, it had a particularly devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries.

Not only would a resumption of mass flying reverse this situation, it would also give people the opportunity to resume business connections, reunite with their families, or simply go on holiday again.
This would not be without risk, however. Countries could find themselves struggling to control Covid infection levels by importing more of the virus via visitors, including more contagious or dangerous strains. The tendency of the virus to frequently mutate means this would be a concern even for countries that have successfully vaccinated high percentages of their populations.

Since Covid-19 is often asymptomatic, the only way to know for sure if a traveler is infectious is by administering a test. However, getting the results back currently takes several days – far too long for someone who about to get on a flight.
This is where the handheld SpectraLIT device could make a difference. Developed by the Israeli firm Newsight in partnership with the Sheba Medical Center, the SpectraLITpromises highly accurate results in just 20 seconds.
While similar technology has been touted in the past, it hasnever been used in spaces such as airports due to accuracy concerns. The SpectraLIT however has just received approvalfrom the EU, paving the way to mass adoption.

The development of the SpectraLIT represents another technological success for Israel in general, and Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology – in particular. Three of the key figures involved in the creation of SpectaLIT (Eli Schwartz, Eyal Yatskan, and Eyal Zimlichma) are all graduates of the Technion.

Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

The SpectraLIT test is currently administered as a traditional nasal swab, but a less intrusive gargle method is also available. Both types use the same radical procedure that differentiates the SpectraLIT from the current process. At the moment regular swab tests require chemical analysis at a laboratory, resulting in long delays. The SpectraLIT, however, shines light through the sample, getting the result from a unique computer chip that reads the ensuing pattern.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Israel was called to be a light onto the nations, but it’s never normally this literal. We are very proud that three Technion graduates have been involved in developing the revolutionary SpectraLIT system, offering Covid tests in less time than it takes to check-in your luggage.”

Notes to editor about Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

Israel has successfully established itself as a pioneer in medical technology – a fact that hasn’t escaped the notice of investors around the world. Now, an Israeli start-up has successfully raised $10 million to fulfil a bold new vision: an end to avoidable blindness. The potential for such a development is hard to overstate.

For most people, the sense that they would miss the most would be sight. Going blind can drastically impact your quality of life, affecting virtually all of your day-to-day activities. Over 2 billion people in the world have some form of visual impairment, while it is estimated that over 4 million people in the UK alone will suffer from sight loss by 2050.

Nearly half of all such sight loss is either preventable or treatable though. For example, cataracts (one of the leading causes of blindness) can be removed with surgery. But while these operations are relatively accessible and common here in the UK, for many parts of the world they are still out of reach condemning hundreds of thousands of people to living in permanent darkness. This could be about to change, however, thanks to the new start-up: ForSight Robotics. One of the major obstacles to corrective surgery is the time and effort required to train medical professionals to perform incredibly intricate procedures. ForSight Robotics, based in Haifa, will resolve this issue by developing robotic technology that will assist these procedures every step of the way.

$10 million seed money has now been raised for the company by Professor Moshe Shoham, a world leader in robotics technology who teaches the subject at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The money will help enable ForSight to “transform ophthalmic surgery from art to science,” according to co-founder Dr Feldman. The new technology with automate much of the current process, assisting eye surgeons in operations that currently take years to master. This new venture is only the latest success story to emerge from Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers– and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Every day the Technion is nurturing brilliant minds for the future. Robot doctors curing blindness might sound like science-fiction, but this latest development from one of our professors could soon make it a reality. Once again, Technion is leading scientific revolutions that can change the lives of people both in and outside of Israel.

Notes to editor about Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

One of the most pressing environmental issues of recent years has been huge amount of plastic that is in the sea. Despite recent high-profile campaigns to raise awareness of the problem, the reality is that every day more and more plastic is being produced. Unless a viable substitute for this cheap and useful material is found, plastic will continue to end up in the bodies of water that cover most of the Earth’s surface.

Israel may just have been discovered a substitute : mycelium. This strand-like substance can be used to replicate polystyrene, the crunchy white plastic that is commonly used as packing filler and insulation. Unlike polystyrene, however, mycelium is completely biodegradable – because it is derived from mushrooms.

Scientists at the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology – have managed to grow the substance and then use it as a building material. Doctoral student Noam Attias led on the research of mushroom mycelium, investigating its propertieswith support from several other departments. While mycelium is solid enough to replicate metal, the true potential is in replacing polystyrene.

This is because, like all plastics, polystyrene does not break down. While it is fragile enough to crumble into small pieces, these pieces can take up to 500 years to full decompose. This would not be case with mycelium though – making it a perfectly safe packing material.

This breakthrough would be another example of the pioneering research conducted Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Plastic changed our world forever, but it’s going to take similar transformation to help undo the damage it has caused. It looks like the scientists at the Technion might be the ones to lead that transformation – with a little help from the humble mushroom.”

Notes to editor about Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

Cancer is the leading cause of death world wide, the most common form of which is breast cancer. There are over 2 million global cases of breast cancer annually, resulting in nearly 700,000 deaths. The vast majority of cases involve women, many of whom face the prospect of having invasive surgery to remove their tumours.

These painful procedures could be a thing of the past,however, thanks to pioneering new technology called ProSense that has been developed in Israel. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently designated the ProSense system as a Breakthrough Device, official recognition of the impact it can have in saving lives.

The ProSense uses cryotherapy technology to destroy tumours without the need for surgery. Rather than employing traditional methods that involve cutting the diseased cells out of the body, the ProSense utilises a probe being inserted directly into the tumour. Liquid nitrogen then lowers the temperature of the tumour until it freezes into ice. Rapidly alternating between thawing and re-freezing the targeted area destroys the tumour while leaving the healthy tissue around it undamaged.

This radical new procedure was developed by Israeli company IceCure Medical, where several staff members are graduates of Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology.

Technion graduates are frequently seen leading exciting companies such as IceCure. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Breast cancer is one of the most common health complications a woman can face. Until now, invasive surgery was the only possibility for removing tumours, but Technion graduates are looking to put those old methods on ice.”

In the past few years there has been a huge spike in demand for vegan products. Once regarded as a fringe or fad diet, veganism has now become increasingly mainstream. More and more people are interested in cruelty-free substitutes for previous staples such as meat and milk.

The latest development in this field from an Israeli start-up couldhowever completely transform the dairy industry.
Imagindairy, Ltd is the latest company to enter the vegan milk space, competing with popular alternatives such as soy, almond and oat. However, unlike those vegan substitutes, Imagindairy’s product is not derived from plants, but made from the same proteins as actual milk.

The start-up, which was founded in 2020, uses AI to manage a technique called “precision fermentation.” This process involves the brewing of single-celled organisms that have been specifically designed to create individual compounds. In the case of Imagindairy, the compounds made would be the whey and casein proteins that are traditionally derived from milk – without the use of cows.

There are multiple benefits to this new method of production. As well as the benefits associated with veganism, such as lower impact on the environment and cruelty-free production, Imagindairy’s products could also be seen as an improvement on vegan substitutes currently available. For example, the whey and casein proteins will enable the company to re-create the natural flavour and texture of cheeses in a way that other vegan ingredients struggle to. In turn, this could help persuade more people to try vegan foods.

If Imagindairy is successful, it could also capture a significant portion of the increasingly valuable vegan milk market. The plant-based milk sector is worth $2.5 billion just in America, let alone worldwide.
Imagindairy was co-founded by its CEO, Eyal Afergan, who is a graduate of the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Up until now, the vegan sector has focused on trying to find the closest alternatives to everyday dairy products. But it turns out that the best substitutes for milk and cheese are just milk and cheese – minus the cows. Technion isn’t trying to milk the news of another revolutionary start-up created by one of our graduates, but we are proud to see a former student yet again set on transforming the way we live our lives.”

About The Technion:
The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.

Across the world, there is a growing acceptance that more needs to be done to fight climate change. In 2016, the Paris Agreement committed signatory countries to reducing their emissions to decrease the rate at which the planet’s temperature is rising.

The most significant way of achieving this is by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, but these are not always as effective as staples such as coal and oil. New research by Israeli scientists, however, might be about to revolutionise one of the key renewable energy sources – solar.

Solar power is one of the most well-known sources of renewable energy, with solar panels converting the light rays emitted by the sun into another form of power such as electricity. The potential for solar power to replace fossil fuels is significant – some sources estimate that the amount of sunlight that hits the Earth in just an hour and a half is enough to cover our global energy consumption for an entire year.
Israeli scientists have therefore taken the lead in increasing the efficiency of solar panels. Professor Avner Rothschild, who works at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, has lead researchers from his university working in partnership with Ben Gurion University and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin.

Between the three universities, they have developed a breakthrough in understanding semiconductors – a key component of how one form of solar panels work. Solar panels either use photovoltaic cells or photoelectrochemical cells. The latter can only generate energy during the day and require external batteries to store energy during the night.
Photovoltaic cells don’t require these batteries but use semiconductors instead. These semiconductors enable light energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, which are then stored as a separate fuel source for later. The most common material used as a semiconductor – hematite – is not as efficient as it could be though, leading to a loss of energy.

The scientists, led by Professor Rothschild from the Technion, have now developed a new technique for testing the efficiency of hematite and other semiconductor materials. This will in turn allow for the creation of more effective solar panels.

This breakthrough is only the latest success story to emerge from Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology. Since 1912, the academic institution has been at the forefront of spearheading Israel’s scientific endeavours. Israel today is the country with the highest percentage of scientists and engineers – and the majority of them studied at the Technion, home to three of Israel’s five science Nobel Laureates.

Alan Aziz, CEO of Technion UK, commented: “Reducing our use of fossil fuels is the single most important challenge our planet faces, and the answer has to be using the free energy that is all around us. Improving solar panels is just another bright idea to emerge from Technion scientists.”

About The Technion:

The Technion has earned a global reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, life sciences, stem-cell technology, water management, sustainable energy, information technology, biotechnology, materials engineering and aerospace. It is also one of only five similar institutes worldwide that include a medical school, encouraging rapid progress in biotechnology, drug development, and stem-cell technology. As Israel’s centre for high-tech education and research, the Technion is central to the nation’s economic progress. As the premier institute of its kind in the region, Technion breakthroughs can benefit all the nations of the Middle East. As a worldclass research university, the Technion helps advance the frontiers of science and technology to benefit people around the world.