04/17/2006 -- ZICHRON YAACOV, Israel — A pair of sensor developers have attracted investors to help fund their R&D activities here.
German sensor maker Sick AG has set up its first R&D center in Israel with an investment of nearly $17.7 million.
In launching the R&D center, Sick has acquired the industrial automation technology and global marketing rights of Israel’s Netzer Precision Motion Sensors. Sick and Netzer said the R&D center would develop rotary motion sensors.
Meanwhile, startup Nexense has signed joint venture agreements with Timex, General Electric and mattress maker Sealy Corp. to use Nexense's sensor in their product lines.
Nexense claims its "super-sensors" can measure sound, movement and pressure. The sensors work by detecting sounds like a heartbeat and translating them into a machine language. Timex wants to use the sensor technology to develop heart and blood pressure monitors.
Sealy hopes to used the sensor techology for applications ranging from monitoring breathing in infants to combat Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and sleep apnea to preventing snoring.
