Profs. David Kaiser and Peter Fisher discuss the 95 percent of the universe that is made up of “two mysterious ingredients,” dark matter and dark energy, on NOVA Wonder. “[W]e know that dark matter and dark energy are in the grips of this cosmic competition,” said Kasier, “and which side, so to speak, has been winning has itself changed over time.”
Ellie Bothwell of Times Higher Education (THE) writes that MIT ranked second for the third consecutive year in the annual THE World Reputation Rankings. To understand the university’s strength, Bothwell connects with Vice President Kirk Kolenbrander, who says MIT is “bolstered by its people, first and foremost.”
MIT is ranked second in Times Higher Education’s (THE) 2018 reputation rankings, reports Xinhua. THE asked “more than 10,000 leading academics from 137 countries” to list 15 universities they felt “are the best for research and teaching, based on their own experience.”
Researchers from MIT's CSAIL and Senseable City Lab “have designed a fleet of 3-D printed autonomous boats [that] could eventually taxi people and deliver goods,” reports CNBC’s Erin Black. The boats “can also be equipped to monitor a city's water quality,” Black explains.
NECN’s Brian Shactman interviews MIT alumnus Sam Shames for this “Tech Check” segment about the Embr Wave, a wristband developed by Shames and others to help the wearer feel cooler or warmer. “There’s actually a piece of technology to make it easier for all of us to get along when it comes to temperature,” declares Schactman.
Prof. Kevin Esvelt speaks with Dylan Matthews of Vox about the potential for a CRISPR gene drive to eradicate malaria. Esvelt considers both the risks and rewards of this approach, noting that “the future of our civilization will primarily be determined by the technologies we develop and the wisdom with which we choose to deploy them or refrain.”
A new study led by Prof. Li-Huei Tsai reveals more information about the possible link between Alzheimer’s disease and the gene variant APOE4, writes Martin Finucane for The Boston Globe. The researchers discovered that by editing the gene into the more common APOE3 variant, “they could eliminate the signs of Alzheimer’s in brain cells,” said Finucane.
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.