Fiat has selected Israeli start-up PML - Particle Monitoring Technologies Ltd, based at the Kinarot-Jordan Valley Technology Incubator, to head a research consortium, financed under the EU Sixth Framework Progamme for Research and Development - reports Merav Ankori in the Globe, Israel's business daily newspaper. PML develops industrial laser-based particles monitoring systems.

The three-year research program is intended to develop a method for measuring and analyzing emissions from vehicle engines in order to meet the increasingly strict standards of European and US environmental agencies. The EU Sixth Framework Programme will provide 2.4 million euros in funding, most of which will be for original research by PML.

PML collaborates with the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, and was founded by Prof. Joseph Shamir of the Technion Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Under the project for Fiat, the company will develop monitoring means for the mass production of nanotechnology-based sensors. If the project succeeds, it is believed that it will open up the huge global vehicle market to the company. PML’s technology uses a structured laser beam that includes an alpha laser beam and a lighted laser beam, which interact to create complex signals that the system’s software analyzes. This analysis makes it possible to draw conclusions, measure and monitor the concentration, size and type of nanoparticles. PML has filed a patent for the technology with the patent offices in Israel, the US, EU, and Australia.

The project began on July 1, and is up and running. Kinarot general manager Dr. Meir Teichner said, “This project will open to us a huge global market worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The challenge now is to find the killer application among all the applications of PML’s technology.

The Jordan Valley Technological Incubator

The Jordan Valley Technological Incubator strives to: provide the business commercialization framework and resources for Israeli scientist-entrepreneurs to transform their technological ideas, knowledge, and experience into viable start-up companies with marketable products; utilize a technology and business incubation period of 2-3 years, along with pre-seed investment by the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist and private investment, to position start-up companies for seed investment; and work with regional companies and institutions to the benefit of Kinarot start-up companies and of the entire Jordan Valley region.
 

Kinarot is situated in the Zemach Enterprises Jordan Valley Ltd. campus, just south of the Sea of Galilee ("Kinneret" in Hebrew). Kinarot, as well as other local industries and kibbutzim, are located in Israel's Jordan Valley.

PARTICLE MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES LTD

A driving force in industrial particle size monitoring and analysis (PSA) is an increased demand for in-process measurement to provide real time data, enabling direct feedback into the production process. PML patent pending technology uses a unique structured laser beam, scanning in high speed across the sample. The technique enables measurement of a wide range of particle sizes and concentrations in liquids or in gases. PML’s technological platform can provide process monitoring solutions in the food, chemical, pulp and paper, and microelectronic industries—to name a few.

The PML system has been designed to be compact and modular, measuring a wide range of particles sizes and concentrations. In addition, the system has the unique ability to differentiate among different particle types within a liquid or gas mixture. PML’s product features include; Fast and accurate response; wide particle size range—from 0.1 to 300 microns; wide concentration range—from 1 to 10,000 ppm; high discrimination—able to differentiate particles according to their optical properties

The Company, now in its first year of operation, is currently completing hardware and software components ofits first product. An Israeli patent has already been issued for the technological platform. A longer-term milestone is to position the Company’s unique measuring technology in the fields of nano-technology and biotechnology. PML is seeking cooperation with major companies to implement its measuring system into their industrial process. The Company is seeking a next round investment. The PML team comprises people with vast experience in electro optics, industrial particles monitoring, marketing, and business development. PML’s initial investor is a foreign corporation, with years of experience in selling PSA related products to the industrial market. This company has branches in Southeast Asia, Australia, and in the UK and will work with PML to build its international distribution network as well as to provide market guidelines.