Israeli innovations featured in Time's 100 Best Inventions of 2020
The 2020 list has "100 groundbreaking inventions — including a smarter beehive, a greener tube of toothpaste, and technology that could catalyze a COVID-19 vaccine."
By TOBIAS SIEGALFlag of Israel(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)Time magazine has recently released its annual list of the 100 best inventions of the year for 2020, which includes six Israeli innovations “that are changing the way we live, work, play and think about what’s possible.”The 2020 list was compiled from solicited nominations proposed by Time editors and correspondents around the world and was managed through an online application process. It includes gadgets, products and services from a wide-range of categories, including artificial-intelligence, health, finance, accessibility, security, entertainment and more.“The result: 100 groundbreaking inventions – including a smarter beehive, a greener tube of toothpaste, and technology that could catalyze a COVID-19 vaccine,” Time magazine wrote.The Israeli inventions that made it into the 2020 list include an automated beehive, an AR-headset that uses X-ray vision technology, a fit-and-fold car booster seat, a custom-made guide to cancer trials, an electric urban vehicle and a sugar-like product.Following is additional information on the Israeli innovations featured in Time’s list of 100 best inventions for 2020:A refuge for bees: Beehome by BeewiseAn artificial intelligence-powered hive, Beehome uses precision robotics, computer vision and AI to monitor and analyze insects 24/7. The innovative system is able to detect threats such as parasites or irregular temperatures and respond immediately by applying pesticides, for instance. It “can double pollination capacity and honey production, while decreasing colonies’ mortality rate,” the magazine noted.AR-guided surgery: Xvision by Augmedics“It all started when Augmedics CEO Nissan Elimelech got a superhero-inspired idea: Wouldn’t it be cool if surgeons had X-ray vision?” the magazine wrote as an introduction to Xvision, a revolutionary headset that uses augmented reality to translate a patient’s CT scan into a 3-D visualization. This has the potential to help surgeons during delicate procedures. “The headset superimposes a 3-D image of a patient’s spine over their body, allowing surgeons to (almost) see what’s under the skin without ever looking away from the operating table,” the magazine noted. A more portable seat: Mifold Hifold by CarfoldioAiming to change the dangerous trend of children not using booster seats in cars, the Mifold Hifold booster seat – a “Transformer-like device” – includes adjustable head, torso and seat panels for maximum comfort. It also folds to the size of a backpack, making it easy to carry around.A guide to cancer trials: TrialJectory by TrialJectoryThe service, named after the Israeli company that developed it, uses artificial intelligence to quickly examine thousands of possible clinical trials and match them to specific cancer patients for the best results. By questioning each patient and examining each case on its own, researchers are able to locate the best clinical trial suited for their patient and provide promising results. The system is being developed to cover more types of cancer in the near future.The smaller compact car: City Transformer by City TransformerWith parking in urban spaces becoming an increasingly challenging issue for many, this new electric car by Israeli start-up City Transformer, hopes to provide a solution. While the vehicle is rather small, it can reach up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour) and adjust its wheels, reaching a width of only one meter for going through narrow spaces. According to Time, four City Transformers can fit into one standard parking space. The first City Transformer cars are expected to reach roads in Tel Aviv by 2022.Sweeter sugar: Incredo Sugar by DouxMatokIncredo Sugar, a newly engineered form of the sweetener, may help reduce the sugar used by commercial food companies by 30% to 50%. It retains the unique flavor of sugar but not the health risk that sugar entails. The company has been marketing the product to consumer brands, bakeries, and other food makers in Israel and is expected to make its way to the American market soon.