Wikipedia

Aviv Elor

Aviv Elor (born May 1, 1997) is an Israeli-American entrepreneur and researcher known for his work in virtual reality (VR) and its applications in user experience, physical rehabilitation, and healthcare. He founded Immergo Labs as the Chief Research and Experience Officer, which focuses on developing VR-based telehealth solutions to revolutionize physical rehabilitation.[1][2][3]

Portrait of Aviv Elor, an Israeli-American entrepreneur and researcher in virtual reality, focused on physical rehabilitation. He co-founded Immergo Labs and serves as Chief Research and Experience Officer, developing VR-based telehealth solutions.

He has received multiple awards for his contributions, including recognition as a "Titan of Tech". His younger sister is Amit Elor, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling.[4][5][6][7][8]

Early life and education

edit

Elor was born on May 1, 1997, and grew up in Walnut Creek, California, to Israeli parents Elana and Yair Elor, who had immigrated to the United States from Ashkelon, Israel, in 1980.[4][5] His father, Yair, was a shot putter and discus thrower who received an athletic scholarship from Boise State University. Aviv is one of five siblings, growing up in a family that valued both academics and athletics. His sister, Amit, became an Olympic gold medalist, and his brother, Orry, won USA Wrestling Junior National titles. Both of their grandfathers and their great-grandmother were Holocaust survivors, and the rest of their extended family lives in Israel.[5]

Aviv actively participated in sports, particularly judo, where he achieved notable success, including a silver medal at the United States Collegiate Nationals.[9] His engagement in judo deeply influenced his later work, especially after he sustained a severe elbow injury that led to reconstructive surgery. This injury fueled his passion for developing assistive technologies to aid in physical rehabilitation, blending his love for sports with his interest in assistive technologies.[10][1][11]

Elor pursued higher education at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), where he obtained his Bachelor's in robotics engineering (2015–2019) and a Ph.D. in computational media (2019–2021).[12][13][14]

Career and contributions

edit

Prior to founding Immergo Labs, Elor worked with several notable organizations, including Google, Warner Bros Entertainment, Walt Disney Imagineering, Meta (formerly Facebook), and the National Institutes of Health.[15] His roles spanned optimizing autonomous drones, designing high-voltage electric car circuits, and creating interactive virtual environments.

Elor's passion for assistive technology emerged after his elbow injury during a national judo match, leading him to co-found Immergo Labs. At Immergo, he serves as the Principal Investigator, driving the development of VR-based telehealth solutions to revolutionize physical rehabilitation.[16] His work focuses on making healthcare more accessible and equitable, particularly for marginalized communities. Under his leadership, Immergo Labs secured significant grants, including over $1 million from the National Science Foundation, to advance its innovative approach to VR in healthcare.[17]

Elor has also contributed extensively to academia, authoring over 25 peer-reviewed articles and mentoring numerous students at UCSC.[18] His research focuses on human-centered design, immersive systems, and applications in healthcare.

In addition to his startup, Elor has been actively involved in the Santa Cruz community, mentoring students, volunteering with local educational programs, and consistently contributing to the development of technology for social good.[1]

Notable achievements and awards

edit
  • ACM Best Paper Award: Recognized at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2021.[19]
  • NSF SBIR Phase I and II Awards: Received over $1 million for R&D in VR-based rehabilitation technologies.[20][17]
  • ARCS Foundation Fellow: Acknowledged for his academic and research excellence.[12]
  • Barry Goldwater Scholar: Awarded in 2018 for his undergraduate research achievements.[21]
  • UCSC Chancellor's Award: Received in 2017.[22]
  • Silver Medal at Collegiate Nationals in Judo: Demonstrates his diverse skill set beyond academics.[9]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "2022 Titan of Tech: Aviv Elor". Santa Cruz Works. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  2. ^ "2024 Olympic Gold Medalist Uses Immergo Platform". Santa Cruz Works. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  3. ^ "Immergo Labs Official Website". Immergo Labs. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  4. ^ a b "Amit Elor - Olympic Profile". Olympics. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  5. ^ a b c "18 Things to Know About Jewish Wrestler Amit Elor". Hey Alma. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  6. ^ "East Bay's Amit Elor is Youngest Woman Ever to Compete in Olympic Wrestling". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  7. ^ "20-Year-Old US Wrestling Phenom Amit Elor". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  8. ^ "US Wrestler Amit Elor Pursuing Gold". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  9. ^ a b "NCJA Collegiate National Championships Results". National Collegiate Judo Association. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  10. ^ "XR Creator Spotlight: Aviv Elor, Co-Founder & Lead Investigator, Immergo Labs". Medium. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  11. ^ "Using Virtual Reality for Physical Rehabilitation". CITRIS. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  12. ^ a b "ARCS Foundation names 10 new fellows at UC Santa Cruz". UCSC News. September 28, 2020. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  13. ^ "NSF Grant to Support Immergo Labs' Continued Innovation". UCSC News. August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  14. ^ "Thesis: Immersive Technologies in Rehabilitation". UC eScholarship. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  15. ^ "Aviv Elor". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  16. ^ "Redefining Physical Therapy: Immergo". Santa Cruz Works. August 17, 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  17. ^ a b "NSF Award Search: Award#2304278 - SBIR Phase II: Virtual Reality Physical Therapy for Telehealth". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  18. ^ "Aviv Elor". Google Scholar. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  19. ^ "VRST 2021 Awards". ACM VRST. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  20. ^ "NSF Award Search: Award#2111847 - SBIR Phase I: Virtual Reality Physical Therapy for Telehealth". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  21. ^ "Three UCSC undergraduates receive Goldwater Scholarships". UCSC News. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  22. ^ "Dean's and Chancellor's Awards". UCSC. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aviv_Elor&oldid=1240835180"