The pressure is on … and that’s a good thing
Executive donates sensor devices to help med researchers at Tel Aviv University
Like many Jews who’ve been inspired to do something meaningful in solidarity for Israel, Jeffrey Stark, CEO of a Madison-based company that manufactures pressure-sensing solutions for industries throughout the world, realized that his work could be helpful.
“I’d visited Israel several times following the attacks by Hamas terrorists on October 7,” Mr. Stark said. “I did volunteer work on farms and in packaging facilities. I delivered goods and supplies to various depots, military bases, and the West Bank.”
Mr. Stark, who’s from Long Island, has lived in Florham Park since 2016 and is a member of Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston. Throughout the years, he has donated time, money, and objects to Jewish organizations in the United States and Israel. “Before my mission trip in 2023, I collected 50 pounds of over-the-counter medical supplies and equipment and brought them with me to Israel,” he said.
His company, Sensor Products Inc., produces durable pressure-sensor systems that detect and measure physical parameters like temperature, pressure, light, motion, and more. “In simple terms, imagine two objects pressing together — like a hand shaking another hand, or a machine pressing two pieces of material,” he said. “You can feel that there’s pressure, but you don’t really know where the pressure is strongest or how evenly it’s applied. That’s exactly the challenge engineers face in manufacturing.
“Our sensors solve this by visually showing a pressure map — a picture that shows where pressure is high, low, or missing completely between contacting surfaces. These pressure maps help engineers see the invisible. It’s like turning on a spotlight that reveals the hidden story of how two parts press, seal, roll, or align.
“In clinical settings, pressure-sensor systems can be used to test and analyze all kinds of relevant data that can be used to improve the quality of patient care.”
Shalom Nakdimon of Tel Aviv, an electrical engineer and entrepreneur, met Mr. Stark in 2017. One of his companies, Wiseshelves, offered an inventory managed system that used light sensors to determine how many products are on supermarket shelves. “When the shelf was completely lit, that meant it was empty,” he said. “When the shelf was completely full with products, the light was blocked.
“But we needed the pressure sensors from Jeff’s company, Sensor Products, Inc., to prove this theory.” So the two men began to work together, and eventually Mr. Nakdimon joined Mr. Stark’s company.
“Shalom identified contacts and sought opportunities for our products to be used in the fields of research, technology and medicine,” Mr. Stark said. “We have worked together to sell to clients, drawing upon contacts of Shalom’s in biotechnology and engineering, hospitals, and nursing homes and university settings throughout Israel.”
Sigal Portnoy, whose doctorate is in biomedical engineering, is the chair of the occupational therapy department in the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University. “The first pressure-sensor systems we purchased for the engineering department was during my Ph.D. studies,” Dr. Portnoy said. “We purchased two custom-made size-specific pressure sensing pads that together could engulf the residual limb of a leg amputee and record the pressures inside the prosthesis. Those patients have no feeling in their extremities so the pressure sensors detect areas when the tissues are in danger of injury.”
Working with an occupational therapist, Dr. Yafi Levanon, Dr. Portnoy tested the sitting and movement patterns of pregnant women. “This was another patient population where the sensors can be used,” she said.
“Our research shows that 8.5% of bedridden patients in hospitals develop hospital-acquired pressure ulcers,” Mr. Stark said. “Our Tactilus Patient Movement Monitor offers ease of use and significant cost savings in the battle to alleviate pressure ulcers. In real time, the caregiver can quickly ascertain if a patient hasn’t repositioned from an alarm indicator in the software.
“With less than a dozen units left in inventory, I was intent on donating a minimum of six of our PMMs to Israel, rather than trying to sell them to institutions in New Jersey or elsewhere in the United States. This initiative came from two overlapping perspectives — a business one and a Jewish one. On the one hand, I believed our PMM systems could make a real, measurable difference in patient care, especially in Israeli hospitals dealing with stress, trauma, and long-term recovery needs. These are the same 2024-model systems we provide to institutions around the world.
“But on the other hand, and more personally, this was also about tzedakah — not in the usual sense of charity, but in the fuller Jewish understanding: the moral obligation to give, to support healing, and to stand with our broader community, especially during hardship. After the October 7 attacks, the need to act in a meaningful, hands-on way felt essential.
“Approximately 0.7% of the world’s engineers are based in Israel,” Mr. Stark continued. “This dense concentration of engineering talent contributes significantly to Israel’s reputation as a global leader in high-tech innovation and research.” It also led him to believe that there might be researchers who would benefit from his monitors.
In December, Mr. Nakdimon emailed Dr. Portnoy and Dr. Karen Avraham, the dean of the faculty, about Mr. Stark’s desire to donate six of his pressure sensors to Tel Aviv University. Professor Portnoy was interested in using them in her research. “Researchers in the occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and nursing departments are using the donated pressure-mapping systems — sensitive mats that record how pressure is distributed across the body when standing, sitting, or lying down,” Dr. Portnoy said. “These systems help us study posture, movement, and positioning in diverse populations, from children to older adults, including individuals who are bedridden or use wheelchairs. By analyzing these pressure patterns, we aim to improve rehabilitation, prevent pressure injuries, and support safer, more effective care strategies across a wide range of clinical needs.”
She’s grateful for the units. “These devices can only enhance our research,” she said.
Mr. Nakdimon was the liaison between Dr. Portnoy and Mr. Stark. “He played a key role in facilitating the donation by coordinating introductions, ensuring the equipment’s compatibility and use, managing logistics with the university’s donation office, and overseeing delivery, setup, and training at Tel Aviv University,” Mr. Stark said. “Whether products such as these are donated to a laboratory in a university setting or to a hospital, treatment or recovery center, there is an extensive approval process that passes through the Israeli Health Ministry to send products to Israel from the United States,” Mr. Nakdimon said
“Shalom connected me with Ari Wein, CFO and interim CEO of American Friends of Tel Aviv University Inc. in New York to assist in the transport of product and in getting an appraisal done,” Mr. Stark added “There were financial complexities with all protocols involved in getting $36K worth of medical equipment from New Jersey to Tel Aviv.”
Mr. Stark is considering where his company will donate the remaining five PMMs in the inventory. “Having served in the army himself, Shalom Nakdimon is interested in donating them to the soldiers who’ve been injured in combat,” Mr. Stark said.
“For me, this donation was personal,” he continued. “I’ve built my business here in the United States and I am a true patriot, but my heart has always been closely tied to Israel and its resilience. I see this donation as a mitzvah, a service to our people. We each have a role to play in helping Israel remain not just defended but cared for.”
To learn more about the research Professor Portnoy of Tel Aviv University is doing with Pressure Sensor Inc.’s patient movement monitors, go to
en-med.tau.ac.il/Steyer-School-Main.
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