June 12, 2026

Gokul Manavalan Wins First Place at Israel 3MT Competition

We are thrilled to announce that Ph.D. student Gokul Manavalan won First Place in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in Israel, held at the IEEE International Conference on the Science of Electrical Engineering (ICSEE 2026). Gokul presented his thesis work on mitigating atmospheric turbulence in optical wireless communication using quantum neural networks (QNNs), and leveraging turbulence for information encryption. We extend our sincere thanks to the conference organizers and the 3MT committee chair, Prof. Tirza Routtenberg, for supporting young researchers.

June 9, 2026

Lab Presents Three Papers at ICSEE 2026 in Jerusalem

Our research group participated in the IEEE International Conference on the Science of Electrical Engineering (ICSEE 2026) in Jerusalem, showcasing our latest work at the intersection of quantum computing, AI, and neuroscience. We extend our gratitude to the conference organizers, Dan Marom, Igal Bilik, and Shmuel Auster, for hosting an outstanding event. The lab presented the following papers:

• Hybrid Quantum Neural Networks vs. YOLO for Drone Detection (Gokul Manavalan & Prof. Shlomi Arnon): Introducing a lightweight hybrid Quantum Neural Network (QNN) that achieves drone detection performance comparable to YOLOv8n but with significantly fewer trainable parameters, enabling efficient, low-resource processing.
• Early Detection of Astrocytoma Using an AI-Based Scalp-Mounted Brain Chip (Gokul Manavalan, Ayush Mehra, & Prof. Shlomi Arnon): Presenting a Deep Learning-assisted Diffuse Optical Tomography (DL-DOT) framework using a Neuralink-scale scalp chip. Using a CNN to analyze Monte Carlo-simulated fluence maps, the system achieved 84.67% accuracy, offering a compact, non-ionizing, and cost-effective neurodiagnostic approach.
• Scalable Toffoli Quantum Gate Based on OAM-Structured Light (Ayush Mehra & Prof. Shlomi Arnon): Proposing a fully spatial, polarization-independent Toffoli gate using structured Laguerre–Gaussian light. By encoding control qubits in the radial index ($p$) and target qubits in the orbital angular momentum index ($l$), this design uses cascaded FRFT interferometers to enable scalable, all-optical three-qubit logic for photonic quantum computing.

June 1, 2026

Ayush Mehra Delivers Concluding Seminar

Congratulations to Ayush Mehra for successfully presenting his departmental concluding seminar, titled "Analyzing beams carrying orbital angular momentum in optical communication systems." The research was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Shlomi Arnon in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at BGU.

May 25, 2026

Gokul Manavalan Receives the Dean’s List Award

Congratulations to Ph.D. student Gokul Manavalan on receiving the prestigious Dean’s List Award from the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. This honor recognizes his outstanding academic achievements and high-quality publications during the 2024–2025 academic year in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences.

January 21, 2026

Lab Research Featured at SPIE Photonics West 2026

Ayush Mehra successfully represented our lab at SPIE Photonics West 2026 in San Francisco, USA, where he presented three research papers:

1. Structured light with orbital angular momentum (OAM) for scalable quantum gate operations
2. Off-axis aperture-based detection of Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) modes
3. Scalp patch-based diffuse optical tomography (DOT) for tumor monitoring

January 2026

Ayush Mehra Awarded SPIE Photonics West Travel Grant

Congratulations to Ayush Mehra on receiving the competitive SPIE Student Travel Grant. This grant provides airfare, lodging, and registration fee waivers to outstanding student members presenting their research at the flagship SPIE meeting.

January 7, 2026

Prof. Shlomi Arnon Reaches 10,000+ Citations

We congratulate our lab director, Prof. Shlomi Arnon, for reaching the milestone of over 10,000 citations on his Google Scholar profile. This achievement highlights the profound and lasting impact of his research within the global scientific community.

December 15, 2025

Engineering Excellence Meets Social Impact: Assistive Technology Projects

Our students, jointly guided by Prof. Shlomi Arnon and Dr. Yafi Levanon, continue to develop groundbreaking assistive technologies aimed at enhancing the independence and quality of life for disabled individuals:

• Completed Projects: Omer Kariti & Omer Kroitoro engineered a system allowing individuals with severe upper-limb disabilities to play the PlayStation 5 using only their legs. Omri Hanoch & Omer Yehoshua Argaman designed an innovative assistive kit allowing single-hand amputees to fully operate a computer using a standard hook prosthesis.
• Ongoing Projects: Current student teams are developing a specialized system to help an organ player who lost his left hand play again, and a robotic assistant to help wounded and elderly individuals move household items.

Learn more about these inclusive innovation initiatives here: https://sheva7.walla.co.il/item/3792190.

December 1, 2025

Gokul Manavalan Delivers Concluding Seminar

Congratulations to Gokul Manavalan for successfully presenting his departmental concluding seminar, titled "Orbital angular momentum based optical wireless communication in turbulence using conjugate light field and hybrid neural networks." His doctoral research was supervised by Prof. Shlomi Arnon in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at BGU.

August 18, 2025

Ayush Mehra Awarded Tsin Mid-way Negev Scholarship

We congratulate Ph.D. student Ayush Mehra on receiving the prestigious Tsin Mid-way Negev Scholarship from the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies. This competitive scholarship recognizes outstanding doctoral students and will support his ongoing research at Ben-Gurion University.

June 4, 2025

Ben Wiesel Delivers Concluding Seminar

Congratulations to Ben Wiesel for successfully defending his departmental concluding seminar on his research work, "Space-Time Encoded Modulation for High-Fidelity Diffuse Optical Imaging." The research was completed under the supervision of Prof. Shlomi Arnon in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at BGU.

March 6, 2025

Gokul Manavalan Receives Tsin Mid-way Negev Scholarship

We congratulate Gokul Manavalan on being awarded the prestigious Tsin Mid-way Negev Scholarship by the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. This honor is awarded to outstanding Ph.D. candidates to support their doctoral studies through the completion of their degree.

Four Papers, One Amazing Conference: Our SPIE Photonics West 2025 Experience! (Feb 1, 2025)

We're thrilled to share our exciting experience at SPIE Photonics West 2025 in San Francisco! Our lab presented four papers, covering a range of cutting-edge research in optical communication and sensing. It was a whirlwind of learning, networking, and sharing our latest findings with the photonics community. We're incredibly proud of the work we presented and the engaging discussions it sparked.

Here's a brief overview of the papers we showcased:

Simultaneous Optical Wireless Communication and Sensing for Brain Implants: This paper explored the potential of using light for both communication and sensing within brain implants. We presented our novel approach to achieve simultaneous data transmission and physiological monitoring, paving the way for more advanced and minimally invasive neuro-technologies. A special highlight: This work was selected among the top 15 papers for the BiOS 3-Minute Rapid Fire Competition!  This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our research to a broader audience and we're immensely proud of this recognition.

Determining Bessel-Gauss Beams Orbital Angular Momentum Using Diffraction Patterns from Various Apertures: In this paper, we delved into the intricacies of Bessel-Gauss beams, focusing on a novel method for determining their orbital angular momentum (OAM) using diffraction patterns. Understanding and manipulating OAM is crucial for advanced optical communication systems, and our research offers a practical approach for characterizing these beams.

Comparative Analysis of Bessel-Gaussian and Ince-Gaussian Beams for Free-Space Optical Communication:  This work provided a comparative analysis of two promising beam types – Bessel-Gaussian and Ince-Gaussian – for free-space optical communication. We investigated their performance characteristics under various conditions, offering valuable insights for designing robust and efficient optical links.

Wavelength-dependent Performance of OAM-based Optical Communication in Foggy Conditions:  This paper tackled the challenges posed by atmospheric conditions, specifically fog, on OAM-based optical communication. We investigated how different wavelengths affect the performance of these systems in foggy environments, providing crucial information for developing reliable outdoor optical communication links.

Attending SPIE Photonics West was an invaluable experience. We were able to connect with leading researchers, learn about the latest advancements in the field, and receive feedback on our work. The energy and enthusiasm at the conference were truly inspiring.

We’d like to thank everyone who stopped by our presentations and engaged in discussions. We’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of optical communication and sensing, and we look forward to sharing our future research with you.

COMCAS 2023/2024 (July 9 2024)

We're excited to share some fantastic news from our lab! Two papers have been accepted for presentation at the esteemed IEEE COMCAS 2023/2024 International Conference on Microwaves, Communications, Antennas, Biomedical Engineering & Electronic Systems in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The titles of our accepted papers are:

1. "Propagation of Structured Gaussian Beams Through Strong Turbulence"
2. "A New Approach to Measuring Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) Mode Purity Using Decomposition Digital Technique"

These papers showcase our lab's innovative contributions to the field of optical wireless communications. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to present our research at COMCAS and engage with fellow experts and enthusiasts from around the globe.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in these exciting areas of research!

Congratulations to Our Recent PhD Graduates! (May 2024)

We are delighted to announce that two of our outstanding lab members, Dr. Ganesh M. Balasubramaniam and Dr. Rajnish Kumar, have successfully completed their PhD programs under the supervision of Professor Shlomi Arnon.

Dr. Ganesh M. Balasubramaniam's Thesis: Title: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Artificial Intelligence and Structured Light for Diffuse Optical Imaging

Dr. Balasubramaniam's groundbreaking research bridges the gap between artificial intelligence and structured light, advancing the field of diffuse optical imaging. His work has significant implications for improving imaging techniques in various applications, potentially leading to advancements in medical diagnostics and other critical areas.

Dr. Rajnish Kumar's Thesis: Title: Strategies for Enhancing Security and Optimising Performance in Satellite Communication

Dr. Kumar's innovative research provides valuable insights into enhancing the security and performance of satellite communication systems. His strategic approaches address critical challenges in the field, offering solutions that can significantly improve the reliability and efficiency of satellite communications.

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and contributions to their respective fields. Their dedication and hard work exemplify the high standards of excellence we strive for in our lab.

Congratulations, Dr. Balasubramaniam and Dr. Kumar!

ICCCMLA 2023 (Oct 6, 2023)

We're thrilled to announce that our lab has reached another milestone! Two of our papers have been accepted for presentation at the prestigious 2023 IEEE 5th International Conference on Cybernetics, Cognition, and Machine Learning Applications (ICCCMLA).

The titles of our accepted papers are:

1. "Next-Generation Security for LEO Satellite Communication: Sub-THz Frequency Paradigm"
2. "Orbital Angular Momentum Based Physical Layer Security for Optical Communications Systems"

These papers represent our lab's commitment to advancing the fields of optical and satellite communication. We're excited to share our research findings and engage with fellow experts at ICCCMLA. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation in these areas!