The State of Israel has made significant contributions to the world through a remarkable array of inventions and discoveries. Despite its relatively young age, Israel has proven to be a cradle of innovation and a hub for scientific research and technological development. As per a survey conducted in 2019, there were over 6,000 start-ups in Israel and thereafter in 2021; more than 30 technology companies valued at over US $1 billion (unicorn start-ups) were reported to be operating. This article will delve into some notable inventions and discoveries created in the State of Israel, spanning various fields from medicine to technology and agriculture.
Drip Irrigation System
Israel's arid climate and limited water resources led to the development of the revolutionary drip irrigation system. In the 1960s, Simcha Blass, an Israeli engineer, pioneered this technology, which allows water to be precisely delivered to the roots of plants, reducing wastage and increasing crop yields. Drip irrigation has become a global standard for efficient and sustainable agriculture, significantly impacting food production worldwide.
Mobileye: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Mobileye, a company co-founded by Amnon Shashua, is a leader in the development of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle technology. The company's innovative vision-based technology has been instrumental in enhancing road safety, reducing accidents, and facilitating the evolution of autonomous vehicles. Mobileye's technology has been adopted by many automobile manufacturers, showcasing Israel's prowess in the field of automotive technology.
Iron Dome Missile Defense System
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the Iron Dome is a state-of-the-art missile defense system designed to intercept and neutralize short-range rockets and mortar shells.
Copaxone
Copaxone, a breakthrough medication for multiple sclerosis (MS), was developed by a team of Israeli scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Copaxone, also known as ‘Glatiramer Acetate’, has provided relief to thousands of MS patients worldwide by reducing the frequency and severity of relapses. It has become a widely prescribed MS medication globally, emphasizing Israel's excellence in biopharmaceutical research.
USB Flash Drive (DiskOnKey)
In 1999, Dov Moran, an Israeli entrepreneur, introduced the world to the USB flash drive, known locally as DiskOnKey. This portable storage device revolutionized the way people store and transport data. It quickly replaced floppy disks and CDs as the preferred method for transferring and safeguarding digital information. The USB flash drive's compact size, durability, and convenience has made it an essential tool in today's digital age.
Waze: Crowdsourced Navigation
Waze, a navigation app developed by Israeli start up Waze Mobile, has transformed the way people navigate roads. This app incorporates real-time traffic data, road closure information, and user-generated reports to provide optimal routes for drivers. In 2013, Google acquired Waze for over $1 billion, recognizing its significance in the navigation industry and the power of crowdsourced data.
ReWalk: Exoskeleton for Paraplegics
Developed by Dr. Amit Goffer, ReWalk is a revolutionary exoskeleton that allows paraplegics to stand, walk, and even climb stairs. This life-changing technology has provided newfound mobility and independence for individuals with spinal cord injuries and demonstrates Israel's dedication to improving the lives of those with physical disabilities.
SniffPhone
The SniffPhone is a diagnostic tool that can sniff out and diagnose diseases. Awarded the 2018 Innovation Award by the European Commission for Most Innovative Project, the SniffPhone is an evolution of the ‘NaNose’ technology developed by Professor Hossam Haick of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. (NaNose is a breathalyser that can detect the symptomatic odour caused by some cancerous tumours, Parkinson’s dementia, multiple sclerosis and many more diseases).
PillCam – swallowable medical camera
Inspired by a personal experience with chronic stomach pain, scientist Gavriel Iddan of Given Imaging (now Medtronic) came up with the idea of creating a digestible, disposable camera that transmits data to a receiver outside the body. PillCam is now used all over the world to diagnose infections, intestinal disorders and cancers in the digestive system. It is also able to access areas of the digestive system that are typically out of range during a conventional procedure.
Watergen
Headquartered in Petah Tikva, Watergen is producing clean drinking water out of thin air using nothing more than a portable generator. Founded in 2010 by Arye Kohavi, Watergen’s devices use the patented GENius technology to extract humidity from the air – i.e. vaporized water that is present in the atmosphere everywhere from rainforests to desert climates like Israel’s. Watergen’s generators cool and liquidise the air vapour, producing up to four litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity. The life-saving device was used during the Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.
Besides the abovementioned list of inventions, here are few more significant inventions that have been announced. (Information provided by my friend, Philip Furgang)
- Tel Aviv University is developing a nasal vaccine that will protect people from Alzheimer's and heart stroke.
- The Technion, Institute of Technology (Haifa), has developed a simple blood test capable of detecting different types of cancer.
- The Ichlov Center (Tel Aviv) isolated a protein that makes colonoscopy unnecessary to detect colon cancer, with a simple blood test. Colon cancer kills about 500,000 people annually.
- Acne does cause anxiety in teens. The Curlight Laboratory has created a cure by utilizing Emitting UV rays at high intensity, which kills the bacteria that causes acne.
- The Hebrew University (Jerusalem) has developed an electrical neurostimulator (batteries) that is implanted in the chest of Parkinson's patients, similar to the pacemaker. The emissions from this device block the nerve signals that cause tremors.
- The simple smell of a patient's breath can detect if a patient has lung cancer. The Russell Berrie Institute for Nanotechnology has created sensors capable of sensing and registering 42 biological markers that indicate the presence of lung cancer without the need for a biopsy.
- Endopat is a device placed between the indicator fingers, which can measure the state of the arteries and predict the possibility of a heart attack in the next 7 years dispensing the need for catheterization.
- The University of Bar Ilan is researching on a new drug that fights viruses through the bloodstream. It is called Vecoy Trap, as it tricks a virus into self-destruction and is extremely useful to combat hepatitis, and in the future Aids and Ebola.
- Israeli scientists at Hadassah Medical Center (Jerusalem) may have discovered the first cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as Lou Gehring's disease. Stephen Hawking suffered from this disease and used methods invented by Israeli scientists to communicate.
Israel's reputation as a leader in innovation and technology is well-deserved, thanks to the numerous inventions and discoveries that have emanated from this nation.
