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.[1][2]
He has received multiple awards for his contributions. His younger sister, Amit Elor, is an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling.[3][4][5][6][7]
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.[3][4] 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.[4]
Aviv actively participated in sports, particularly judo, where he achieved notable success, including a silver medal at the United States Collegiate Nationals.[8] 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.[9][1][10]
Elor pursued higher education at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in robotics engineering (2015–2019) and a Ph.D. in computational media (2019–2021).[11][12][13]
Career and contributions[edit]
Elor has worked with organizations including Google, Warner Bros Entertainment, Walt Disney Imagineering, Meta (formerly Facebook), and the National Institutes of Health.
Elor's passion for assistive technology emerged after his elbow injury during a national judo match, leading him to co-found Immergo Labs where he serves as the Principal Investigator; driving the development of VR-based telehealth solutions to revolutionize physical rehabilitation.[14] His work focuses on making healthcare more accessible and equitable, particularly for marginalized communities. During his tenure at Immergo Labs as the Chief Research and Experience Officer, Immergo Labs has secured significant grants, including over $1 million from the National Science Foundation, to advance its innovative approach to VR in healthcare.[15]
Elor has contributed to academia by authoring peer-reviewed articles and mentoring numerous students at the University of California, Santa Cruz.[1] He is 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]
- Santa Cruz Titan of Tech: Honored by Santa Cruz Works for significant contributions to the local tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem. This prestigious recognition has previously been awarded to notable figures such as Marc Randolph (co-founder and first CEO of Netflix), Guy Kawasaki (former Apple evangelist), and JoeBen Bevirt (CEO of Joby Aviation). [1]
- ACM Best Paper Award: Received at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) for outstanding research contributions in the field of virtual reality. [16]
- NSF SBIR Phase I and II Awards: Secured over $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation to advance R&D in VR-based rehabilitation technologies, supporting innovation in telehealth. [17][15]
- ARCS Foundation Fellow: Awarded by the ARCS Foundation, recognizing his promising research in immersive virtual reality and its applications in healthcare during his time at the University of California, Santa Cruz. [11]
- Barry Goldwater Scholar: Earned the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the premier undergraduate award in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. This scholarship is granted annually to around 300 students across the United States based on academic merit and research potential. [18]
- UCSC Chancellor's Award: Recognized for exceptional research contributions, particularly for developing a virtual reality game designed for upper limb rehabilitation based on constraint-induced therapy. [19]
- Silver Medal at USA Collegiate Nationals in Judo: Won a silver medal in the USA Collegiate National Judo Championships. [8]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "2022 Titan of Tech: Aviv Elor". Santa Cruz Works. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "2024 Olympic Gold Medalist Uses Immergo Platform". Santa Cruz Works. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Amit Elor - Olympic Profile". Olympics. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "18 Things to Know About Jewish Wrestler Amit Elor". Hey Alma. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "20-Year-Old US Wrestling Phenom Amit Elor". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "US Wrestler Amit Elor Pursuing Gold". The Jerusalem Post. 18 October 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "NCJA Collegiate National Championships Results". National Collegiate Judo Association. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "XR Creator Spotlight: Aviv Elor, Co-Founder & Lead Investigator, Immergo Labs". Medium. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "Using Virtual Reality for Physical Rehabilitation". CITRIS. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "ARCS Foundation names 10 new fellows at UC Santa Cruz". UCSC News. September 28, 2020. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "NSF Grant to Support Immergo Labs' Continued Innovation". UCSC News. August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "Thesis: Immersive Technologies in Rehabilitation". UC EScholarship. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "Redefining Physical Therapy: Immergo". Santa Cruz Works. August 17, 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "NSF Award Search: Award#2304278 - SBIR Phase II: Virtual Reality Physical Therapy for Telehealth". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "VRST 2021 Awards". ACM VRST. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "NSF Award Search: Award#2111847 - SBIR Phase I: Virtual Reality Physical Therapy for Telehealth". National Science Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "Engineering undergraduate wins prestigious Goldwater Scholarship". UCSC News. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ↑ "2017 Winner: Project Star Catcher: Virtual Reality Game for Upper Limb Exercises Based on Constraint Induced Therapy". UCSC. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
External links[edit]
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