Advanced Rehabilitation Technologies Presented in Israel

In Tel Aviv, the annual three-day MIXiii-Biomed conference took place once again, dedicated to the latest achievements in biomedical technologies. At this prestigious event organized by leading Israeli and international medical institutions, the newest developments in digital health, biotechnology, and medical technology were presented.

This year, the conference organizers shifted the focus from treatment to prevention and emphasized the particular importance of rehabilitation for quality of life. More than 6,000 company leaders, scientists, doctors, engineers, and investors participated, including about 1,000 foreign participants from 45 countries.

As part of the event, an exhibition of 150 startups developing solutions in medical technology took place, a third of which were Israeli. The exhibition was sponsored by the Israeli Innovation Authority, which supports the government in the national development of research projects.

Over three days, presentations and group discussions were held with nearly one and a half hundred local and foreign speakers. The reports focused on the latest developments in areas such as genome editing, cell therapy, cancer treatment, personalized medicine, the use of medical cannabis, and the application of advanced technologies in rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation section of the exhibition-conference was chaired by Dr. Naomi Gefen, Deputy Director General of the Alin Rehabilitation Center in Jerusalem for children and adolescents with physical disabilities, one of the leading institutions of its kind in the world.

“Thanks to the rapid pace of scientific and technological progress, we are witnessing the emergence of an impressive number of rehabilitation and assistive technologies in Israel and around the world,” she noted. “In the ‘rehabilitation’ section of the MIXiii-Biomed conference, we presented the most interesting and promising innovations in this field that are currently under development.” Dr. Gefen emphasized that the foundation of many of the advanced technologies being developed today is the desire to “help people with physical disabilities become full members of society.”

“For example, many navigation programs began with attempts to help the blind. Morse code was originally developed for the military, but later it was used in other areas where people needed broader access to writing,” she explained. Her section included discussions with entrepreneurs and speakers from rehabilitation centers and medical institutions in Israel and other countries using advanced technologies in various fields of medicine to assist in the rehabilitation of patients of all ages – from children to the elderly.

Among the entrepreneurs speaking at the conference was Daniel Barel, founder and CEO of Softwheel, which developed a revolutionary technology that makes movement for wheelchair users more comfortable and safe. This involves a unique wheel with built-in suspension, based on a technology that uses three pressurized cylinders to absorb shocks. As a result, any vibrations and impacts are not transmitted to the body – ultimately allowing a person in a wheelchair to overcome steps and curbs without significant discomfort.

Last summer, Softwheel signed a three-year contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to supply wheels for wheelchairs for two thousand U.S. military veterans. The company is also developing similar technologies for bicycles and cars.

Rafi Fisher, Director of Media Communications at OrCam Technologies, which developed a revolutionary device for people with visual impairments, also gave a brief presentation at the conference. The company designed the portable MyEye device, whose miniature size allows it to be almost imperceptibly attached to the frame of glasses. The technology, based on the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analysis of large databases, enables blind and visually impaired individuals to read printed text in books and newspapers, on product labels, or in restaurant menus.

The device is controlled by gestures. A person simply needs to swipe their finger over the printed text, after which the built-in camera scans it; once recognized, MyEye reads the specified text or inscription. Its emergence has been a true revolution for visually impaired individuals.

Yotam Bahat, CEO of Senserum, whose founders also established the startup Motek Entertainment, specializing in 3D animation and image capture, presented a report on the use of virtual and augmented reality technologies in clinical settings. Devices from the company, such as HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, are used by therapists and doctors to assist patients in various situations.

According to Naomi Gefen, the Alin Medical Center recently opened the first and only motion analysis laboratory in Israel for children. She also noted that in collaboration with Senserum, the hospital developed the Ninja program, which is an obstacle course for children with physical disabilities. It includes walking on steps and stones, which helps work on balance, gait, and the ability to perform multiple actions simultaneously.

This project is part of ALYNnovation – an innovation center operating at the hospital for entrepreneurs and researchers engaged in developing devices and technologies for children with special needs. According to center representative Samantha Sokloff, one of the most important components of rehabilitation is participation, bringing these children back into society through play and specific work. “We do everything to ensure that these children do not go unnoticed,” she said.

The Alin Medical Center also collaborated with entrepreneurs from the Israeli startup 6degrees, which develops wearable technologies for contactless control of smart devices. The company was founded in 2017 by three partners, two of whom are disabled veterans. One of them, Ziv Shilon, lost his left arm and injured his right arm during the Israeli operation “Protective Edge” in Gaza in 2014. Together with the clinic, they are working on adapting their devices for children and emphasize that their mission is to “change the quality of life for people with missing or non-functioning upper limbs.”