March 21, 2013 Spotlight on Technion Related Projects at the Hi-Tech and Innovation Fair to be visited by President Obama.

Snake robots for urban search and rescue
Snake robots for urban search and rescue

Technion Professor Alon Wolf gives President Obama and PM Netanyahu a first-hand look at Technion innovation: a robotic snake that can assist with search and rescue missions. Prof. Wolf is also developing a medical robot that can perform sophisticated surgical procedures. Amazing!

U.S. President Barack Obama met with Theresa Hannigan from New York, who is sporting a ReWalk bionic suit, at the Israeli technologies exhibition in Jerusalem, Israel. ReWalk exoskeleton was among the cutting-edge Israeli innovations shown to President Barack Obama in the course of his visit to a session hosted by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

ReWalk - Enabling paraplegics to walk
ReWalk – Enabling paraplegics to walk

ReWalk creator Dr. Amit Goffer, an alumni of the Technion, is actually a quadriplegic who was prompted to develop the exoskeleton system as a result of his own personal account and experience. “It is an honor to have been chosen among many Israeli innovators to present the ReWalk technology to President Obama,” stated Dr. Goffer. “This device is already improving the quality of life for many people and we look forward to seeing its continued expansion around the world including in the US where we are awaiting FDA clearance for daily personal use.”

Special Category - Future Scientists: Robot Waiters
Special Category – Future Scientists: Robot Waiters

A “robot waiter” developed by junior high school students from Haifa, under the guidance of researchers from the Technion’s Department of Education in Technology and Science, won “Best Humanoid Robot” title in an international competition which took place in Connecticut, USA, in 2012.

The robot waiter was designed and programmed as a model of an autonomous robot that will serve a disabled person in his or her home – for example, will go to the refrigerator, take food and carry it to that person. The robot, with a height of about 35 cm (about 13.8 inches) uses sensors to overcome obstacles in its way, is a capable of performing a variety of movements.