Hitting the light switch – the 12th Annual Braude College Academia-Industry Conference

 

[two birds using satellite to find food*]

In 1880, Thomas Edison took out his patent for his lightbulb, which engineers (probably) found exciting. In 1882, he brought electricity to New York city, which impacted everybody (at least in New York). The first event would only have been a curiosity without the second but the second event was only relevant because of the first. When working together, science and industry change people’s lives then and now. Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Academy-Industry Conference at the Braude School of Engineering in Karmiel in northern Israel. This conference brought out the advantages of close cooperation between the two sectors and showed its benefits not only in industry but in processes directly impacting the general public. The relation between ivory tower and company headquarters is clearly symbiotic.

The number of parties interested in cooperation between the two worlds was striking. On the one hand, the Braude College of Engineering, through its student placement, sponsorship of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and student projects, places great importance on linking student activity to actual situations in the field. The Israel government Innovation Authority and Chief Scientist Office provide financial support for relevant activities, including implementation of new technology. On the other hand, a significant percentage of the attendees were from industry, indicating practical interest in collaboration. The Zoom presentations from the United States and Singapore show that this model is widespread and successful. Objectively, the number of projects involving implementation of Industry 4.0 technology in established factories and the presentations documenting their success demonstrated that is the academy-industry connection is alive and well.

Many of the developments were specific to the industrial setting. For example, Prof. Dr. ir. Joost R. Deflou from KU Leuven, Belgium, provided a detailed description of the current process of waste metal recycling and ideas to improve it so as to significantly reduce both processing and energy costs as well as increase actual reuse. Eric Wespi from Boston Science noted the progress and challenges involved in using automated visual means to conduct the final quality check. Several beneficiaries of the implementation of smart production technology emphasized the importance of unified start-to-finish data access to management to minimize resource waste and rejected products. All of the improvements help factories of all sizes not only to survive but thrive in an increasingly competitive and dynamic market.

The conference also highlighted developments that will directly change people’s life. Prof. Paulo Bartolo discussed 3D bioprinting and mentioned the amazing possibility of directly “printing” skin on a person during surgery. Ms. Hagit Snir-Salinger discussed ongoing efforts to collect, sort, recycle and reuse the plastic agricultural waste, including sheets and pipes, collecting on the edge of fields in Israel and elsewhere. Mr. Motty Arnon discussed progress in creating AI based diagnoses systems, including for cancer, that would service populations located far from advanced medical facilities. These applications may soon directly improve the lives of millions.

Technology changes lives as the cartoon above demonstrate. By integrating the intellectual resources of academic institutions and the practical needs of industry, “miracles” no less amazing than electricity can occur. The conference was eye-opening and raised hope for a better future.

* Picture captions allow the blind to fully access the Internet.

Picture credit: Cartoon shared in Facebook

Disappearing garbage

In my town in Israel and most towns worldwide, ten years ago, the husband (or other family member if he was not available) took out the garbage because, obviously, the garbage was full and possibly smelly.  Today, in Israel, without carrot or stick so to speak, garbage has shrunk to the point that the garbage bin smells long before it fills up. My main garbage bag in the kitchen contains what used to collect hourly in the small bag in the “triangle” by the sink.  In other words, at least in the house (but unfortunately not on television), we produce less and less refuse.

To explain, all large plastic bottles are put in a box to be transferred to recycling bins located in every neighborhood. Plastic wrapping and other food packaging goes to a recently introduced bin in our neighborhood recycling center.  We use the few plastic bags that we bring home, mainly when buying fruits and vegetables, for our cats’ waste. Glass and plastic beverage bottles are collected and brought to the supermarket for a rebate.  All paper, which my office produces too much of, is placed in a recycle bin in that same center.  Organic material without fat is put in our compost bin in our garden.  The neighborhood cats happily consume the chicken fat or bones, no waste there.  All that is left is the tissues consumed fighting my seasonal allergies and some scraps from the plates, which eventually create an unpleasant odor and have to be dumped.

In Israel, the placement of neighborhood recycling centers has quietly made this revolution possible without financial rewards, except in the case of beverage bottles, or penalties.  Admittedly, not everybody recycles but the sheer convenience of it gradually is bringing along, even the most insular families.  The proof is that the recycling bins fill up very quickly. In Los Angeles, the city provides three garbage bins, one each for household garbage, garden waste and recyclables, with the first being the smallest. In the West, garbage reduction has become necessary and possible.  Other cities set the garbage fee based on volume.  I am happy to admit that this is one culture change that I fully support.

I would be interested in hearing on how your locale is treating the issue.