Author: Ms. R.

In an emergency, a human might someday ask a robotic assistant to fetch a wall-mounted defibrillator located down the hall. But if the robot has incorrectly labeled the defibrillator as a fire extinguisher in its stored memory, it may not know where to find the life-saving device. This robotic assistant could benefit from a new memory system created by MIT researchers. The system identifies entries in a robot’s memory that might be wrong and corrects the descriptions of mislabeled……

Read More

Before he passed away on July 11, Susumu Tonegawa had been a professor at MIT for more than 40 years. At a memorial service Oct. 16, colleagues, mentees and other friends spanning almost the whole arc of his illustrious MIT career gathered with members of his family to celebrate his life with recollections and stories that praised not only his science and achievements, but even more so his humanity. The picture that 16 speakers collectively painted was one of……

Read More

MIT researchers will lead a four-year, up to $38 million project, funded by the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), aimed at developing a noninvasive, wearable patch that continually monitors biomarkers of heart disease and sepsis. The project is called PYTHIA, which stands for “predictive platform for physiological and therapeutic health intervention and adaptive management.” According to the project plan, the patch, which will capture clinical-grade health information in real time, will be powered by heat from the……

Read More

Global development and prosperity have become increasingly dependent on minerals and metals. This growing dependence has drawn attention to the mining industry and underscored national economic and security vulnerabilities across supply chains. As demand for these materials rises, the challenge for expanding capacity will be to develop scalable pathways to produce, use, and steward them.  In this interview, Professor Elsa Olivetti, co-director of the MIT Minerals Stewardship Consortium, discusses how collaboration can strengthen mineral and metal supply chains and……

Read More

Endometriosis affects more than 265 million women worldwide — 1 out of every 10 women of reproductive age, according to the United Nations — yet it remains one of the most misunderstood, under-researched, and chronically stigmatized conditions in modern medicine.  A new documentary, “End of the Cycle,” presented by The Endometriosis Collective, is changing that conversation about this painful disease, one powerful story at a time. Directed by Sammy Jaye and Soraya Simi, the film weaves together intimate personal……

Read More

Utilizing waste carbon at scale, assessing public trust in artificial intelligence and data centers, and building a quantum toolkit for critical applications were among the topics energy experts explored at the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI)’s annual research conference on Sept. 22-23. The complexity of the energy transition demands “a truly interdisciplinary and international approach,” said Paula Hammond, Institute Professor and dean of the MIT School of Engineering, kicking off the conference, which was themed “Transitioning energy at a pivotal……

Read More

Fish that are cultivated in pools or ponds are an increasingly important source of food around the world. Unfortunately, disease outbreaks can cause substantial losses in aquaculture.  Fish farmers use vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks just like regular farmers, but vaccinating a fish is a lot harder than vaccinating a cow. The most effective way to vaccinate fish today uses needles, but there are several downsides to this process, both for the fish and the farmers.  Now a team……

Read More

Cambridge is booming with innovation, food, music, and history, highlighted in detail by the Cambridge Office for Tourism’s “Unpack my Cambridge” video series.   Reporting from Kendall Square – “the most innovative square mile on the planet” – MIT President Sally Kornbluth shares some of her favorite spots, and sweets, around the city.  To help you plan a visit in real life, more information on the different stops is below. You can find even more on the Cambridge Office for……

Read More