MIT researchers have developed a surgical technique that allows the central nervous system to send movement commands to a robotic prosthesis, writes Allen Cone for United Press International. Cone explains that the new technique allows for “more stable and efficient” control over the movement of the prosthetic device.
CSAIL researchers have developed a new system that could be used to train machines to complete tasks, writes Patrick Lucas Austin for Gizmodo. The researchers hope the system could eventually be used to, “teach robots how to accomplish tasks simply by showing them actual instructional videos,” Austin explains.
In this video, Mashable spotlights AlterEgo, a wearable device that allows for silent communication between human and machine. The video notes that graduate student Arnav Kapur’s goal in developing the device was to, “create something to let people communicate silently and without being obtrusive to each other.”
USA Today reporter Marco della Cava writes that a study by MIT researchers shows drivers typically use Tesla’s Autopilot software for highway driving. Della Cava writes that Research Engineer Bryan Reimer underscored that the findings show there is a need for, “an increase in driver education on the part of stakeholders such as automakers, dealers and perhaps even licensing authorities.”
STAT reporters Gideon Gil and Matthew Orr describe a “pioneering” surgical technique from researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital that allows prosthetics to operate like human limbs. Prof. Hugh Herr, “himself a rock climber who lost both his legs to frostbite as a teen, describes his goal as nothing short of eliminating disability."
MIT researchers have created a system that aims to teach robots how to perform household chores by breaking down activities into simple steps, reports Sean Captain for Fast Company. Captain explains that in order to simplify each chore, the researchers, “identified sub-tasks to describe thousands of duties in settings such as kitchens, dining rooms, and home offices.”
Wired reporter Matt Simon writes that CSAIL researchers have developed a new virtual system that could eventually be used to teach robots how to perform household chores. Researchers hope the system could one day help robots, “learn to anticipate future actions and be able to change the environment for the human,” explains PhD student Xavier Puig.
In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Prof. Stuart Madnick writes about how companies can reduce their risk of cyberattacks by improving cybersecurity training and education among employees. “It’s crucial that support and enthusiasm for increasing cybersafety be visible at every level of the organization, from top executives and middle management to the individual,” explains Madnick.
Forbes contributor Frederick Daso describes how two female MBA students at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Preeti Sampat and Jaida Yang, started their own venture capital firm in an effort to, “bridge the geographical and diversity gaps in the current early-stage investing ecosystem.”
In an article for the Financial Times, Michael Skapinker highlights a study by researchers from MIT and a number of other universities that examined whether living overseas helped people gain more personal insight. The researchers discovered that most people, “found living in another country a self-clarifying experience.”
Wired reporter Jack Stewart highlights how MIT researchers have developed a 3-D printed autonomous boat that could be used to ferry goods or people. The boats could eventually, “use their onboard GPS sensors and inertial measurement units to precisely position themselves in packs, forming instant floating bridges, or stages, or platforms for pop-up food markets on the water.”
In an article for The Wall Street Journal about blockchain, Tomio Geron highlights MedRec, a system being developed by MIT researchers that would allow patients to manage their own medical records. “With MedRec, if a baby has been given vaccinations by different doctors,” reports Geron, “all of that information can be accessed from the blockchain.”
Researchers at MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab are developing an inflatable, stretchy, 3-D printed material that could be used in cars, writes Laura Yan for Popular Mechanics. “Inflatable materials could mean fully customizable car interiors: seats that can merge and inflate into different orientations and configurations, the ability to program the hardness or softness of your seats, redesigned airbags (of course), and perhaps much more,” explains Yan.
In this Bloomberg radio segment, Prof. Daniela Rus discusses her work developing a fleet of autonomous 3-D printed boats that could not only transport goods and people, but also self-assemble into bridges and other structures. Rus explains that she is, “very excited about the idea of taking the autonomy technologies we have in driverless cars and applying them to other vehicles.”
Boston Globe Ideas columnist Kevin Lewis highlights a new study by MIT Sloan researchers that compares how well IT professionals and inexperienced students performed at a cybersecurity management game. Researchers concluded that because the experienced group didn’t perform better than the students, “training for better understanding of the complexities of cybersecurity is needed for decision-makers.”