Category Archives: כתבות אמצע

H2OLL has launched its first complete system for producing water from the air at Wadi Attir, a Bedouin community initiative in the Negev. The project, which started with an idea from Professors Eran Friedler and David Broday, faculty members in the Technion’s Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign that has already raised more than 4 million shekels. The goal of the project is to solve one of the greatest challenges of our time – clean drinking water for all. Dr. Khaled Gommed from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was also instrumental to the development of the technology.

Within a few years, the idea has turned into an alpha prototype at the Technion. Last week the first complete system was launched at Wadi Attir. The translation of the research into a practical system was made possible by H2OLL, led by Joab Kirsch (CEO), Ilan Katz (CTO), and Oded Distel (VP of Business Development).

According to a 2023 UN report, 3.5 billion people suffer from a lack of clean drinking water for at least one month each year. The issue of access to drinking water appears in many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, including realizing every person’s right to clean water, health for all, reducing inequality, and addressing climate change and its consequences. The goal set by the UN is clean water for everyone by 2030.

The water crisis is not limited to the developing world. For example, about 60% of drinking water in Los Angeles is imported, and in Europe, rivers are becoming increasingly polluted. The bottled water market is currently worth $363 billion annually, and H2OLL intends to tap into this huge market, offering a better solution in terms of health, cost, and environmental impact.

The technology developed by Professors Broday and Friedler enables water extraction from the air even in dry and desert areas, while completely blocking chemical and biological contaminants. It is based on adsorption, unlike most companies in the field that operate on direct cooling technology. The difference is dramatic: while water extraction via direct cooling requires at least about 10 grams of water vapor per kilogram of air, H2OLL’s adsorption technology can produce water even when the amount of water vapor in the air is half that – about 5 grams of water vapor per kilogram of air.

The new water system in the Negev

The prototype that was built at the Technion more than four years ago produces 200 liters of water per day. On September 10, the company launched its first full commercial system, which will supply 1,000 liters of water per day in the Negev. The system will operate under the auspices of the Wadi Attir project, and the International Sustainability Laboratory, a non-profit organization based in New York. Wadi Attir, a Bedouin community initiative in the Negev, combines local and global innovation, the production of sustainable food, and education (a school & a learning center), all based on Bedouin tradition and a variety of technologies.

L-R: Ilan Katz, Dr. Khaled Gommed, Ben Gido and Prof. Eran Friedler

After registering a patent, winning prestigious awards, and receiving a special grant from the Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, H2OLL launched a crowdfunding campaign, raising more than 4 million shekels to date. The goal is to expand international marketing efforts, build the brand, connect the technology to solar energy, and develop a system that will produce about 10,000 liters of water per day. The company’s managers emphasize that the Negev climate is not unique but is similar to the climate in many areas, including the southwestern U.S., northern Mexico, and northern India. The company believes that H2OLL’s technology can help reduce the global water accessibility problem.

At the system’s launch on September 10, speeches were given by Dr. Muhammad Al-Nabari, founding member and co-chairman of the Wadi Attir project management committee, Prof. Eran Friedler from the Technion, and H2OLL CEO Joab Kirsch. The event included a ceremonial “opening of the tap,” distribution of branded bottles to guests, and a guided tour of Wadi Attir.

The couple, currently in the midst of their internships at the Rambam Health Care Campus, were awarded PhDs last week during a ceremony at the Technion. Both completed the challenging MD-PhD program, which trains physician-scientists at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion. After finishing their internships in a few months, they will also receive their medical degrees.

Dr. Jonathan Gross and Dr. Tamar Koren

Tamar and Jonathan, now the proud new parents of nine-month-old Naomi, met at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine in 2013 and became a couple shortly after the start of their first year. Tamar, a gifted violinist, came to the Technion after graduating with honors with a bachelor’s degree in music from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University. She joined Prof. Asya Rolls’ lab, which studies the physiological mechanisms underlying the connection between the brain and the immune system. In her PhD study, led by Prof. Rolls, and published in Cell (2021), they demonstrated that in cases of inflammatory processes, a brain region called the insula accumulates substantial information about the dynamics of inflammation. Moreover, targeted reactivation of the insula can reignite the inflammatory response, broadening the concept of “immune memory” beyond the immune system to the brain itself.

Jonathan Gross grew up in Tel Aviv, studied a scientific track (physics, electronics, and computer science), and thought he would focus on physics in the future. “But during the last months of my military service, I had time to read and reflect. I used that time to read several different books describing the experiences, memories, and insights of doctors from various fields. After being discharged, I was exposed to the activities of the open clinic run by Physicians for Human Rights, which provides medical care to people without access to the public healthcare system (refugees and asylum seekers). I started volunteering there. That was the first time I saw doctors working up close, and I decided I wanted to study medicine. That’s how I ended up at the Technion Faculty of Medicine, where I met Tamar and asked her to study calculus together. She agreed — and the rest is history.”

Jonathan’s doctoral research, under the guidance of Prof. Ruth Hershberg, continues the research initiated by postdoctoral fellow Dr. Sarit Avrani. It is known that many species of bacteria can survive for decades in food from which they have extracted resources. Previous studies conducted in Prof. Hershberg’s lab demonstrated that E. coli bacteria can genetically adapt to extreme and prolonged starvation conditions. In evolutionary experiments and whole-genome sequencing, the researchers in the lab deeply characterized these processes.

Tamar and Jonathan

“In my research,” says Jonathan, “we wanted to better understand the dynamics of bacterial evolution under prolonged starvation conditions. We did this by making changes in the experimental design, such as changing the volume of bacterial cultures or using a different bacterial species. In this experimental setup, we examined how these changes affected both the overall dynamics of the adaptation observed under these conditions as well as the specific genes involved in this adaptation. We found that many aspects of the genetic adaptation dynamics of ‘starved’ bacteria remained fairly consistent, even when significant parameters in the experimental design were altered. However, certain aspects of this dynamic are sensitive to the experimental design. In particular, we observed that the identity of the genes accumulating adaptive changes is highly dependent on the specific conditions of the experiment and the bacterial species chosen (Genome Biol Evol. 2020; Genome Biol Evol. 2024).”

Tamar and Jonathan have experienced both research and medical studies, and they hope to be able to combine the two fields, as well as family life and parenting, as they continue their careers — a challenging task. Tamar continues to perform research with Prof. Rolls in addition to her internship, intending to bring their insights to the medical treatment world through clinical trials. Jonathan estimates that he will specialize in radiology, “because it is a field that touches on many branches of medicine — internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and more.”

Twins: Amiel (on the right) and Eitan Gorbunov at the award ceremony

Twin brothers Amiel and Eitan Gorbonos have developed an innovative chip for image enhancement. The project, conducted at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and supported by Apple, was supervised by lab engineer Goel Samuel.

In recent years, Apple has funded student projects in the VLSI lab at the Faculty, aiming to provide students with the opportunity to experience the industry process from concept to design, and testing the physical chip after production.

The innovative chip content

Dalia Haim, a director in the silicon group at Apple Israel, explains that Apple’s involvement is intended to expose students to the vast potential in the hardware field and thus develop the next generation of chip engineers. Students participating in these projects receive personal guidance from Apple engineers, and upon completing the design phase, Apple funds the chip’s production in relevant factories. After production, the chips are returned to the lab, and students test them and their performance. This gives them experience working in a development team similar to the reality in the high-tech industry.

In the pictures, you can see the dramatic improvement in image quality – from left (raw image) to right (the image after noise filtering by the chip developed at the Technion)

The new chip developed by the students is designed to filter image noise. The students began with the general design (architecture) of the chip. The chip was manufactured according to the plan in a factory and returned to the Technion for testing. This was the first product in the VLSI lab produced using the TSMC65 process for manufacturing nanometric chips.

Technion graduate Dr. Anastasia Braginsky is a professional dancer, high-tech professional, mother of two, lecturer on operating systems, and ballroom dance instructor – not necessarily in that order

Dr. Anastasia Braginsky’s daily schedule is divided into half-hour slots, with a task appearing in her app every thirty minutes. Unusual but not surprising, as Dr. Braginsky is a high-tech professional, a dance instructor, a Technion lecturer, and a mother of two young children.

Dr. Braginsky was born and raised in Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. At age 14, she immigrated alone under the Naale program, or “Youth Aliyah before Parents.” She was placed in a boarding school in Bustan HaGalil and studied at Bosmat, a high school for scientific and technological education, established by the Technion in 1928.

At the age of six, she was exposed to ballroom dancing, “and I immediately knew this was what I wanted to do,” she shared. However, she only danced as an amateur before she began studying at the Technion. “After I arrived at the Technion in 2000, I discovered the ballroom dancing club led by Margarita Polyakov.”

As with everything she does, Dr. Braginsky approached ballroom dancing with utmost seriousness and dedication. During her studies, she became a professional dancer, completed a ballroom dance coaching course at the Wingate Institute, and began participating in international competitions. Today, she dances professional Latin ballroom with her dance partner Sergey Olovarenko.

Dr. Anastasia Braginsky

Ballroom dancing began as social dancing and became institutionalized in Europe – mainly in London – at the beginning of the 19th century. Gradually, a standard was established, comprising five dance genres: slow waltz, tango, slow foxtrot, Viennese waltz, and quickstep. Influenced by Latin American dances, five more genres were added to the European standard: cha-cha, samba, rumba, pasodoble, and jive. The standardization of ballroom dancing allowed it to become a professional field with local and international competitions, and in some countries – Denmark, for example – these dances are part of the school curriculum.

The Technion club turned into the Dance Spirit Club for Ballroom Dancing and was held in various venues in Haifa. In 2022, Dr. Braginsky teamed up with Polyakov to bring Dance Spirit back to the Technion. Last semester, the club was held for the first time as an academic course, granting participants academic credit points. According to Dr. Braginsky, “For the students, it’s a bright spot within their demanding studies, a few hours where they move and exercise their bodies like in other sports. Ballroom dancing has many additional benefits, including improved coordination, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and self-confidence. Today, there are also such clubs for Parkinson’s patients, after it was proven that dancing halts motor deterioration.”

Dr. Braginsky completed all her academic degrees in the Taub Faculty of Computer Science: a bachelor’s degree with an average grade of 89 and a master’s degree that turned into a direct track to a Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Erez Petrank. Between finishing her bachelor’s degree and starting her master’s, she worked at the IBM research labs in Haifa. Like in dance, she steadily advanced in the high-tech world. Dr. Braginsky worked at Yahoo! for more than seven years and now works in the research department of Red Hat, where she delves into all aspects of parallel and distributed computer systems.

Another of Dr. Braginsky’s pursuits, which began at the start of her master’s studies and continues to this day, is teaching. “Dr. Leonid Raskin, one of the veteran teaching assistants in the faculty (now the lecturer for the operating systems course), suggested I become a teaching assistant for the course. I was a head teaching assistant for many years and became a lecturer, and I continue to do so today alongside my work and dancing. I really, really love teaching, and it seems the students love learning from me.”

Alongside her many pursuits, Dr. Braginsky got married, and together with her husband Alexander Pevzner, raises two daughters: Sarah, nine years old, and Sophia, five years old. How does she combine all these things in a 24-hour day? “Proper time management, without movies, TV, and other distractions,” she said. “I love everything I do and don’t want to give any of it up, so I need to be focused and efficient on all fronts. I have no doubt it’s worth it.”

Researchers at the Technion’s Faculty of Biology have presented a new strategy that could be used as a treatment for lung cancer. The study, funded by the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), was led by Prof. Nabieh Ayoub and doctoral student Feras Machour, with contributions from Dr. Enas Rinawi and doctoral student Alma-Sophia Barisaac. Their findings were published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications and their paper was chosen as the Faculty of Biology’s “Article of the Month.”

R to L: Prof. Nabieh Ayoub and Feras Machour

The team investigated the molecular mechanisms that protect cells from DNA damage that can be caused by radiation, smoking, and other factors. When these protective mechanisms fail to repair the damaged DNA, it can lead to cancer development. Therefore, understanding these mechanisms is crucial not only from a scientific perspective but also for developing targeted cancer treatments.

The current research, conducted in collaboration with Prof. Itamar Simon and doctoral student Joyce Kamar from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, focused on a subtype of lung cancer called lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Most LUAD patients are diagnosed at the advanced or metastatic stages when treatment options are limited to surgery, chemotherapy, and other aggressive therapies. However, effective treatment of LUAD remains elusive due to the genetic diversity of the disease and the development of therapeutic resistance. Therefore, the goal of this research was to develop new, personalized treatment strategies for a specific type of LUAD characterized by the loss of RBM10 protein.

In healthy cells, RBM10 functions as a tumor suppressor. Its absence, due to mutations, leads to accelerated cell division and, in some cases, cancer development. The researchers revealed through preclinical experiments that mutations in RBM10 accelerated lung cancer development. Notably, RBM10 loss occurs in approximately 25% of LUAD patients and confers resistance to current treatments.

To identify targeted therapies against RBM10-deficient cancers, the researchers conducted extensive genomic screening that identified 60 genes that could serve as effective therapeutic targets in lung cancer with RBM10 mutations. Among these 60 genes, the researchers focused on the WEE1 gene, since drugs that inhibit it are currently undergoing clinical trials for cancer treatment. The researchers demonstrated that WEE1 inhibition is highly effective in eradicating RBM10-deficient lung cancer in mice and therefore can be harnessed therapeutically with immediate clinical applicability.

To read the full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50882-0

The Technion hosted the inauguration ceremony for the Anières Preparatory Program, an initiative that will help dozens of new immigrants gain admission to various Technion faculties and programs, including computer science, electrical and computer engineering, data engineering, software engineering, aeronautical engineering, systems engineering, and chemical and biochemical engineering. The event took place approximately one year after the opening of the Marc Hamon Anières House on the Technion campus, where around 120 students currently reside while studying in the program.

Students of the program with the program’s leadership, Technion management, and Anières representatives

The Anières initiative is spearheaded by Marc Hamon, who was awarded the Technion Guardian pin in 2023 by President Prof. Uri Sivan. The title of Technion Guardian is reserved for individuals who have achieved the highest level of support and commitment to the Technion.

Hamon studied at a leading technological institution of the World ORT organization in Anières, Switzerland. A few years after the institution closed in the late 1990s, with Hamon’s support, the program was transformed into a World ORT Kadima Mada educational project, in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Education’s Naale program, the Jewish Agency, the Technion, and the WIZO Nahalal Youth Village.

Zoom call with Marc Hamon

“You are fortunate,” Marc Hamon told the students. “I was in a similar situation 55 years ago when I was given one last chance through the Anières program to become an engineer with a wonderful career. I told myself, ‘I will do everything in my power to get into that engineering school and become an engineer.’ We live in a technological world, and if I had to choose a profession today, I would choose engineering again because it is the best way to make a difference in the world. You are pioneers, the first cohort in the preparatory program, and I wish you all the success in the world.”

Joining the students of the first cohort at the event were Robert Singer, co-founder of the Anières Preparatory Program, chairman of the Board of Alumot Or and the Center for Jewish Impact, former CEO of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), and former CEO of World ORT; Kim Webb, head of the Preparatory Program; Irina Nirko, head of Student Affairs at the Haifa and Northern District Administration for New Immigrants; Prof. Tali Tal, head of the Pre-Academic Education Center at the Technion; Ilana Lustig, director of the Center; Ira Lotman, director of the Anières Program; Misha Klinov, the first graduate of the Anières Program at the Technion; and Lt. Col. Oria, commander of the Atidim Program in the IDF.

“We see this program as an important bridge for integrating immigrants, recognizing the great potential they hold for contributing to Israel,” said President Sivan. “Our relationship with the Anières program is not long, but it is a deep and inspiring connection. From our very first meeting with Anières representatives some years ago, our conversation focused not on funding or construction but on values — values that to this day form the foundation of this special partnership. Anières is a program that inspires tremendous admiration, and I have no doubt that the partnership we have created will be a lifelong one. On behalf of the Technion, I want to say that we are proud of the Anières Program and fully committed to it.”

Valeria Roytsh, an 18-year-old from Ukraine who came to Israel three years ago through the Naale program, spoke on behalf of the first cohort of students. “After high school, I knew I wanted to study at a university, and then I came across the Anières Program, which led me to the best university. Thank you to the Technion, the Anières Program, and everyone who helped and will continue to help with this project for the opportunity to study physics, Hebrew, English, and mathematics in the preparatory program and be ready for studies at the Technion.”

The new program provides participants with financial, academic, and social support to help them realize their potential and gain admission to the Technion. It includes a living stipend that covers all living expenses, academic and social mentorship, a community and networking opportunities, including lectures and workshops to enhance non-academic skills.

“The Anières Preparatory Program is more than just a preparatory program—it consists of three months of Ulpan (intensive Hebrew language courses), three months of pre-preparation, and nine months of preparation,” said Kim Webb, head of the Program. “The first cohort began with 36 students selected from 498 applicants, all of whom are new immigrants with limited financial means. Next summer, we will launch two additional groups, with around fifty students in total, half of whom are new immigrants already in Israel and half from abroad.”

Anières Preparatory Program founder Robert Singer (right) with Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan

Robert Singer, one of the founders of the Anières Preparatory Program, told the students, “You were selected from among 498 candidates, and from here on, it all depends on you and your dedication. Your mission here is to study and excel, and we will take care of everything else. We expect you to not only be excellent engineers but also outstanding Israelis.”

Prof. Tali Tal, head of the Pre-Academic Education Center at the Technion, under which all Technion preparatory programs operate, said, “I took on the role of head of the center to fulfill social goals that are important to me and the Technion: to expand the human diversity on campus and to give opportunities to populations whose backgrounds make it difficult for them to gain admission to the Technion without a preparatory program. The Anières Preparatory Program will undoubtedly fulfill these goals.”

Ilana Lustig, director of the Pre-Academic Center, who led the establishment of the program, told the students, “I met with the Anières team for the first time just a year ago. It was a very emotional meeting for me, and I immediately felt that we could build this. We made a focused and fast effort to recruit you — brilliant and outstanding students. I believe in this program. Each of you will receive a wonderful opportunity here — the opportunity to study at the best university in Israel and become successful citizens here in Israel.”

Misha Klinov, the first Technion graduate of the Anières Program and chairman of the program’s Alumni Association, also attended the event. Misha, who came to the Technion from the WIZO Nahalal Youth Village and completed a degree at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is currently a master’s student at the faculty. He said, “The program paved the way for my career. It is a life-changing program.”

Lt. Col. Oria, commander of the Atidim Program in the IDF, which will guide the students in the preparatory program as they prepare for their future military service, said, “The IDF always needs talented people like you, especially today. Thank you for this collaboration, which is so important to the IDF and Israeli society as a whole. It is a great responsibility for us to guide these students as they prepare for the army and during their service, and we will do everything we can to support them in realizing their potential.”

Researchers at the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering have presented a new approach to wavefront shaping in the journal Nature Communications. The approach, which has extensive and significant applications, especially in non-invasive biological imaging of deep tissue, is demonstrated in the article on neurons (nerve cells).

In the image table: images of neurons that were captured by the system. On the left: a regular image of a neuron deep within the tissue. In the middle: the dramatic improvement provided by the new technology. On the right: a real image of the neuron taken without scattering tissue.

Wavefront shaping is a promising approach to deep tissue imaging. Until now, it was possible only via an invasive approach: fluorescent points were manually inserted into the sample, and the tissue was indirectly mapped by imaging them. That process has many disadvantages, and it was clear that direct imaging of the tissue is a better way. However, direct imaging involves various difficulties, including the fact that the radiation emitted from tissues is weak, making its measurement prone to noise, especially when it comes to deep tissue imaging.

The new technology presented by the Technion researchers overcomes these limitations and offers the possibility of direct tissue imaging by illuminating a neuron marked with the fluorescent protein EGFP, which emits light in a different color in response to illumination. This technology is based on dual correction of wavefronts – correction of the wavefront sent to the tissue and correction of the wavefront returning from it. With the help of mathematical calculations that balance the signal-to-noise ratio, the researchers achieved high resolution imaging of the neurons deep inside the tissue.

Prof. Anat Levin

Doctoral student Dror Aizik, who conducted the research under the guidance of Prof. Anat Levin, explained that “previous demonstrations of wavefront shaping corrected relatively slight distortions and were effective only for very limited tissue depths. Our research demonstrated the technology for the first time in performing deep tissue imaging and correcting very large distortions, which without our correction would have resulted in ‘noise images’ with no visual information.”

Doctoral student Dror Aizik

The new technology provided high-quality images of the neurons and their axons, even when the neurons were covered by a thick tissue layer. According to the researchers, the technology demonstrated on neurons is also relevant to many other types of tissue.

The research is supported by the European Research Commission (ERC), the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

Prof. Anat Levin joined the Technion in 2016, after completing her doctorate at the Hebrew University, post-doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and seven years at the Weizmann Institute of Science. She specializes in optics, image processing, and computer vision and has won numerous awards including the Michael Bruno Award, the Blavatnik Award, and the Krill Prize, as well as 3 ERC grants.

For the article in Nature Communications  click here

Researchers from two Technion faculties present a new strategy for measuring mechanical forces in biological processes. The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, was led by Assistant Professor Joshua Grolman and Yifan Liao from the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering in collaboration with Associate Professor Charles Diesendruck from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry.

L to R: Assistant Professor Joshua Grolman , Yifan Liao and Associate Professor Charles Diesendruck

Mechanobiology is a field of research that deals with the influence of mechanical forces on various biological processes. Measuring these forces at the molecular level is a complex challenge, and the development by Technion researchers is expected to enable measurements that were previously impossible.

Various mechanobiological systems, which have evolved over immense periods, demonstrate high efficiency in “translating” mechanical forces into biological signals. These natural systems provide significant inspiration for engineering developments. However, it is very difficult to replicate their level of precision in artificial systems, especially at the molecular level. Therefore, breakthroughs in this field are crucial in many contexts, including drug delivery within the body, monitoring defects in materials, and developing self-repairing materials.

Yifan Liao

The technology developed at the Technion is based on mechanophores – molecular units that produce chemical or physical signals when subjected to structural changes such as pressure or stretching. Measuring these signals, which provide information about the state of the material, is a very complex technological challenge, especially when high sensitivity is required. The technology developed by the researchers is characterized by very high sensitivity compared to previous uses of mechanophores and responds even to a strain of just 5%, making it highly relevant for various biological processes that could not be monitored until now. This technique is relevant to a variety of biological and artificial materials.

Technion researchers succeeded in producing a force-sensitive material from a molecule called spiropyran, thereby creating a sort of molecular detector that provides information about the mechanical forces within the material. The required method is a click chemistry process, meaning it does not require multi-step processes and is not associated with undesirable by-products.

In the diagram: Measurement of biomechanical forces applied to alpaca wool in twisting (top) and compression (bottom) states

The new strategy, Dip-conjugation, is demonstrated in the article with an analysis of the wool fibers of the alpaca – an animal from the camel family, particularly common in South America. The advantage of this technology is that it is applicable to both synthetic and natural materials, including materials made from proteins and carbohydrates. The researchers estimate that in the industrial field, this technology will contribute to accelerating and reducing the cost of manufacturing mechanophores in polymers.

In addition to biological applications, the researchers mention that “the materials we have developed could turn many biological and artificial materials into sensors with exceptional sensitivity. They could also be used to coat aircraft components, providing alerts on emerging failures in these components.”

The research is supported by the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

In recent years, Reuveny and Kantor have received professional support from Dr. Arielle Fischer, a faculty member in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion, as part of the collaboration between the Technion and the Olympic Committee of Israel.

Dr. Arielle Fischer

Dr. Arielle Fischer, head of the Biomechanics and Wearable Technology Laboratory at the Technion, completed a bachelor’s degree at MIT and a PhD in mechanical engineering at the Technion. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, she returned to the Technion as a faculty member in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.

As part of her work with the Reuveny and Kantor, her research group conducted a biomechanical analysis of the Olympic athletes’ movements during training and analyzed the relationship between typical movements in windsurfing (“pumping” and “turning”) and the athletes’ performance. According to Dr. Fischer, “We developed a tool that the coaches and the technical director use at the end of training, which helps them quantitatively and accurately understand the connection between the windsurfer’s performance and technique and the properties of the board itself (structure and elasticity). This tool allows athletes and coaches to examine their techniques and equipment, thus improving the surfers’ performance.” This approach, which supports the athletes with scientific and biomechanical understanding beyond intuition and feelings, is expected to help athletes in various other sports as well.

Congratulations to Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics team on their wonderful achievements and silver medal!

We’re excited to share that at the Technion, in Dr. Arielle Fischer’s Bio-Motion and Wearable Devices Lab at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, a recent study delved into the biomechanics of rhythmic gymnasts.

Natalie Mendelson, a former Olympic gymnast and a Technion student, presented her research on the biomechanics of rhythmic gymnasts last month at the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) conference held in Austria. The study, led by Dr. Fischer and conducted in collaboration with Dr. Smadar Peleg’s lab at the Levinsky-Wingate Academic College. Dr. Fischer recognized the study’s uniqueness, combining insights from an Olympic gymnast and a talented BSc-MD student, and aimed to showcase it on an international stage, highlighting the advanced testing of Israel’s elite rhythmic gymnasts.

Natalie Mendelson

The research presented by Mendelson at the conference focused on the biomechanics of motion of rhythmic gymnasts using a Markerless Motion Analysis method. The study, involving elite gymnasts, specifically examined fouetté balance and turns, common movements in rhythmic gymnastics that can lead to significant strain and injuries.

According to Dr. Arielle Fischer, “This research aims to enhance our understanding of fundamental rhythmic gymnastics elements concerning overexertion on the lower extremity joints and feet. This is the first study on kinematics and kinetics in rhythmic gymnastics, including movement segmentation and the characterization of forces on the gymnasts’ joints. We believe the findings will contribute to injury prevention and tailored training.”

Natalie Mendelson, who competed with the Israeli rhythmic gymnastics team at the Rio 2016 Olympics is pursuing a demanding double degree in biomedical engineering and medicine (BSc and MD) at the Technion. She shared that she chose to study at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion because “Throughout my sports career, I faced many injuries and was always interested in what was happening in my body and how to treat or fix it. I felt helpless, in pain, and sometimes even desperate. This sparked a desire in me to help people rehabilitate, alleviate their suffering and pain, and find and develop solutions in this field. When I heard about the degree in biomedical engineering, which combines many things I love—mathematics, physics, physiology, and technology—I knew it was right for me.” Dr. Fischer’s lab is particularly focused on biomechanics, studying human movement in both elite athletes and clinical populations to describe motions, enhance performance, and aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Nadav Adir and Alon Dankner, graduates of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science, presented a dramatic achievement in the world of cybersecurity at the Black Hat USA conference in Las Vegas – the takeover of Siemens’ new controllers which are among the most secure in the world, by breaking the secure communication protocol. Adir and Dankner’s research was conducted at the Technion, together with graduates Ron Freudenthal and Or Keret, under the guidance of Prof. Eli Biham, head of the Hiroshi Fujiwara Cyber Security Research Center at the Technion, and Dr. Sara Bitan, a senior researcher at the center. Siemens updated the communication protocol of the controllers following research presented by the group at the 2019 conference.

L to R: Nadav Adir and Alon Dankner

The practical significance of this achievement lies in the fact that these controllers are used in a wide range of systems, including critical systems such as aircraft, vehicles, production lines, power stations, gas and oil pipelines, smart homes, traffic lights, and even nuclear reactors. This is why Adir and Dankner were invited to the Black Hat conference—an international prestigious event where the latest relevant knowledge in cybersecurity is presented. The Technion researchers hope that the takeover, which was of course demonstrated on isolated controllers not integrated into essential systems, will help Siemens improve its security mechanisms.

Prof. Eli Biham

The Technion research group, led by Prof. Biham and Dr. Bitan, has previously participated in Black Hat conferences three times, in 2019, 2022, and early 2024. In August 2022, the group presented at the Black Hat USA conference the cracking and takeover of Siemens’ smart controller, and the research findings were shared with Siemens to improve the product’s security. According to Prof. Biham, “Our series of appearances at Black Hat conferences repeatedly advances the security of these systems, and it is part of long-term research aimed at improving the security of control systems. Indeed, Siemens has made changes to its security mechanisms following our research.”

The Technion researchers’ attack was carried out on the CPU 1515SP controller software and for the first time took control of the software common to all controllers in the series. According to Dr. Bitan, “The successful attack in 2022 exposed potential weaknesses in this controller and other controllers in the series and reinforced the need to enhance security measures on such controllers.”

Siemens controllers are found at various critical junctions, including nuclear reactors. This issue made headlines about 15 years ago when a breach of Siemens controllers via the Stuxnet computer worm led to significant damage to the reactors in Natanz, Iran. Stuxnet is considered one of the most destructive malwares, as it allows not only damage to controllers but also the concealment of that damage.

Dr. Sara Bitan

According to Dr. Sara Bitan, “The damage is done both on the way to the controller, thereby impairing its function, and on the way out, creating a false appearance to the monitoring systems as if everything is fine. As mentioned, Siemens made changes to the controllers’ security protocol, but we were able to identify a loophole that allows an attacker to disrupt secure communication with the controller, enabling us to both influence its operation and conceal the damage externally.”

The modern world of encryption is entirely based on the use of a pair of keys mathematically related to each other: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The private key is supposed to be kept in a “safe,” in Siemens’ case, in a secure area within the controller. The Technion researchers managed to penetrate this secure area and extract the private key, thereby gaining control over both inbound and outbound communications.

In recent years, Siemens has tightened security on these controllers through version updates, and last August, it published an article stating that “successful digitization always requires extensive cybersecurity. Although such security is always an integral part of modern controllers, it is important to remember that Siemens offers a wide range of products and services designed to enhance cybersecurity.” Despite the company’s promises and efforts, the Technion group managed, as mentioned, to take control of the software in these updated controllers.