Tunnel robots and safety bracelets: Students create tech to keep Israelis safe during war

Software engineering and computer science students at Ben Gurion High School in Ness Ziona have developed devices that could help make Israelis safer in the next attack or war.

In a hackathon held last month at the school, students developed a system for searching and identifying abductees in tunnels, a safety bracelet, and a combat tool that neutralizes hostile technologies, among many other devices.

“It is nice, as a principal, to help the students not only think innovatively but to focus on a project relevant to the period,” Principal Iris Doron told The Jerusalem Post. “As the war rages on and the country tries to recover, there is a lot of emotion.”

Participating in the hackathon was, in some ways, “more important than studying literature or math,” she said.

Hosting a hackathon is not new to the school; such events are an annual tradition at Ben Gurion. However, this year’s event was dedicated to developing innovative applications for the day after the war and providing solutions to challenges posed during the current Operation Swords of Iron, Israel’s response to Hamas’s October 7 massacre. The students’ projects combined advanced technologies, computer programming, and hardware.

A way to monitor Hamas tunnels

Among the top projects was a “tunnel robot” for monitoring Hamas tunnels and streaming live footage to soldiers on the surface. This advanced robot not only gathers intelligence and alerts forces about potential terrorist ambushes but also features facial recognition technology to identify abducted individuals.

Another project was a security bracelet that vibrates when a siren is heard in the area and directs wearers to the closest shelter.

A third team developed “Zeus,” which was designed to neutralize any electronic device in its vicinity using an electromagnetic pulse.

There was also an autonomous seed planter that could enable farmers in Israel’s North and South to cultivate their fields without putting their lives at risk.

Doron said the hackathon encourages “critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and teamwork.”

“Our vision is to prepare students for success in the advanced technological era,” she said. “We believe that quality education should promote not only academic knowledge but also soft skills and the ability to tackle complex challenges relevant to tomorrow’s world.”

Doron added that the IDF is evaluating two of the projects; a third project is expected to be discussed with the Agriculture Ministry.