Newsight Imaging Signs Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) With Mekorot, Israel National Water Company, to Develop Spectral Water Monitoring Systems

Newsight Imaging, a startup from Ness Ziona that develops chips for machine vision and spectral diagnostics, today announced the signing of 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:

“Mekorot supplies high-quality water for all the needs and initiates numerous activities so that the country's citizens can enjoy quality water all the time. Israel's water sector and Mekorot's systems are the most advanced in the world, including the standards and the controls applied in respect of the quality of the water supplied for the various needs. Mekorot strives for excellence, integrating the most advanced technologies of their kind in the process. 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, adds: "We have been very impressed by the innovative direction taken recently by Mekorot with the setting up of the Innovation Unit, and by its team of experts who examined the feasibility of our technology. Many companies engage in spectral diagnostics, but Newsight is unique in its exclusive technology and in the integration that we have implemented at the level of the most critical component in the system, the sensor chip. 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."

About Mekorot

Mekorot (https://www.mekorot.co.il) Israel National Water Company is considered a leading, technologically advanced water supply company, at the cutting edge of integrating innovative technologies. Mekorot executes a broad range of activities through the technology incubator, including collaborations with entrepreneurs in Israel and worldwide, and encompassing startups, mature companies, leading academic institutions and investors. In this way, the company encourages technological innovation and cultivates professional know-how in the field, accelerating breakthroughs in water supply solutions.

About Newsight Imaging

For more information please visit www.nstimg.com

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