Newsight Imaging, a startup from Ness Ziona that develops chips for machine vision and spectral diagnostics, has signed an MOU with Mekorot, Israel National Water Company, to jointly develop water monitoring systems.
The system is based on a camera chip designed to constitute a precise and inexpensive spectrometer. The chip contains an array of pixels and unique filters, as well as hardware, for precise spectral diagnostics. The operating principle involves illuminating the substance, in this case water, with light and testing and analyzing the reflected light. The method is already applied in a wide variety of costly spectrometers; the Newsight chip constitutes a breakthrough in being able to provide a precise and cheap spectral solution.
Newsight is engaged in collaborations with the makers of water meters, water desalination plants and industrial plants to integrate the technology at numerous monitoring locations. The system is capable of connecting up to a wireless communications medium, standard practice today for smart water meters, and transmitting the sampling results to the cloud, where monitoring is implemented, and issue of alerts enabled. The collaboration with Mekorot was made possible after Mekorot experts were persuaded of the system's technological feasibility, and the teams are currently conducting advanced testing in order to define what will be tested for and where the pilot will be implemented.
David Balsar, General Manager of Innovation at Mekorot said: "Collaborations, such as with Newsight whose technology promises immediate spectral sensing, can help to improve water monitoring and increase efficiency considerably so that Mekorot can continue to comply with the standards and directives of the various Government Ministries."
Eli Assoolin, CEO Newsight, added: "Newsight set up a team that includes biotechnology and algorithm experts who work together with the chip designers in order to adapt it to the various spectral tests, and with Mekorot experts to define the monitoring system. I believe that such a monitoring system will advance Newsight, which is taking its first steps in spectral applications, and enable Mekorot to supervise and monitor water quality anyplace, anytime."