Four Israeli tech companies were named to TIME magazine’s annual list of 100 Best Inventions this year for creations “that change the way we live, work, play and think about what’s possible,” said Wednesday. the publication.

The World List of 100 “revolutionary inventions”Includes COVID-19 vaccines, a toy robot to support hospitalized children, a smart sneaker, a hidden breast pump, a new form of pasta, waterless hair products and an eco-friendly dye for jeans.

To compile the 2021 list, TIME solicited nominations both from its editors and correspondents around the world and through an online application process. The jury then assessed each candidate on “key factors, including originality, creativity, efficiency, ambition and impact”.

Each year, TIME shines a light on inventions that “make the world a better, smarter and even a little bit more fun,” the magazine said.

The technologies and products showcased this year came from the fields of accessibility, artificial intelligence, applications and software, augmented and virtual reality, beauty, connectivity, consumer electronics, design, education, entertainment, experimentation, finance, fitness, food and drink. , home health, household, medical care, the outdoors, parenting, productivity, robotics, social welfare, style, sustainability, toys and games, transportation, travel, wellness and special mentions.

TIME featured six Israeli inventions in its 2020 list and nine the year before. Here are the four notable Israeli inventions and enterprises:

1. OuCam Read, an intelligent reading aid device developed by OrCam Technologies, the maker of portable devices based on artificial intelligence to help the blind and visually impaired read texts via audio feedback. The company launched OrCam Read in 2020, a portable digital player aimed at helping people with language processing issues, including dyslexia. The device (priced at $ 1,990) captures and reads full pages of text and digital screens, and follows voice commands.

OrCam was founded in 2010 by Amnon Shashua and Ziv Aviram, who are also the founders of automotive technology company Mobileye, which was sold to Intel Corp. in 2017 for $ 15.3 billion.

The company is a repeated entry on TIME’s Top 100 Inventions list, netting a spot in 2019 for OrCam MyEye, an artificial intelligence-based device that attaches to eyeglass frames and can identify faces or currencies or read a text or other information. aloud.

The OrCam Read was included in the accessibility category.

2. OBJECTIVE Percepto, software from the Israeli drone security company Percepto. The company uses drones and on-site robots to automate inspections, emergency response and security of critical infrastructure and industrial sites such as power plants, refineries and mines.

The company was founded in 2014 by Dor Abuhasira, Sagi Blonder, Raviv Raz and Ariel Avital. It has a development center in Modi’in and offices in the United States and Australia and employs approximately 75 people. Percepto says its solutions are used by Fortune 500 customers in more than 10 countries, including ENEL in Italy, Florida Power and Light, and Verizon.

Percepto, an Israeli drone maker, is creating a fleet of fully autonomous robots and drones to monitor industrial sites by partnering with US robot maker Boston Dynamics (Courtesy)

“It is truly an honor to receive this award from TIME, a major media brand that has been respected for nearly a hundred years,” Abuhasira said in a press release in response to the recognition. “Percepto has created a new paradigm for the inspection of industrial facilities by integrating AI and the management of autonomous robots with advanced visual data analysis. Being on this list is a testament to this accomplishment, and we thank the editors and TIME staff for this recognition. “

Percepto was included in the artificial intelligence category.

3. Israel agtech company (agricultural technology) Supplant, the developer of sensing technology for agriculture.

Founded in 2015, SupPlant says it combines plant detection, artificial intelligence and accumulated data to provide growers with irrigation recommendations to inform better decisions. The company says its product “dramatically improves the efficiency of water use” as well as the quantity and quality of the output.

Its latest project is an irrigation platform that targets some 450 million smallholder farmers in India and sub-Saharan Africa.

SupPlant appeared in the sustainability category.

4. Israeli “smart road” wireless tech startup Electreon, the developer of a system that charges electric vehicles (EVs) in motion.

Founded in 2013, ElectReon’s wireless charging system uses copper coils laid under the asphalt to transfer energy from the power grid to the road and to manage communication with oncoming vehicles. Receivers are installed on the floor of vehicles to transmit energy directly to the engine and battery while vehicles are in motion, eliminating concerns about limited range and short battery life.

The company signed a new agreement last month with the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality and the Dan Bus Company to launch a large-scale commercial deployment of its wireless charging infrastructure to power electric buses in Tel Aviv.

An illustrative image showing electrified roads in Tel Aviv using wireless charging infrastructure technology from Israeli startup ElectReon. (ElectReon)

This summer, ElectReon welcomed former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin as the company’s chairman to “enhance the company’s collaboration with governments and global businesses, as well as to share our activities with decision-makers around the world. “.

ElectReon was founded in 2013 and is based in the community of Beit Yannai, in northern Israel. It has a number of partnerships underway in Europe to pilot its smart road technology in Germany, France and Belgium.

In Sweden, ElectReon installed a 1.65 kilometer (1 mile) electric section used by bus and truck on the 4.1 kilometer (2.5 mile) route between the airport and downtown Visby on the island of Gotland.

“We are honored by the recognition of ElectReon’s wireless charging solution by TIME as we work to raise awareness of the viability of this technology by maximizing the efficiency of fleet owners’ vehicles, eliminating the cost of fuel and by reducing their carbon emissions over their entire lifecycle, ”said ElectReon CEO Oren Ezer in a statement. “As we rapidly roll out our deployments around the world, we envision this technology to play a key role in accelerating the transition from mass to total
electrification and we look forward to continuing to build the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow with the exceptional and continued support of our industrial and government partners that we have known so far.

ElectReon was in the transport category.