In an article for Fortune, writer Larissa Zimberoff highlights Wise Systems, a startup launched out of a graduate entrepreneurship class. With machine learning, Wise creates algorithms for more efficient delivery routes, which “translates into fuel savings, lower wear and tear on trucks, and, for the driver, improved earnings based on higher productivity,” writes Zimberoff.
Speaking with Rob Verger for Popular Science, Assistant Prof. Christian Catalini explains how it’s not always clear what impacts the value of cryptocurrencies, citing “enthusiasm, hype, maybe even market manipulation.”
Los Angeles Times writer Amina Khan examines the planets that surround dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 – highlighting that most planets near earth’s size are likely to be rocky. “It will be really fascinating when we get to dive into the atmosphere of each of these planets and see how different or similar they are," said postdoc Julien de Wit.
As noted by the Associated Press, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt will be joining MIT as an innovation fellow beginning this Spring, where he will advise the recently launched MIT Intelligence Quest.
MIT spinout Lightmatter, which makes photonic chips that allow AI to perform calculations at the speed of light, has secured $11 million in funding, reports Devin Coldewey of TechCrunch.
When computing, the chip solves problems “by running a beam of light through a gauntlet of tiny, configurable lenses and sensors” instead of in a series of basic operations, explains Coldewey.
Paul Solman of PBS Newshour speaks to Prof. Andrew Lo about getting investors to finance research into treatments for cancer and genetic diseases. “We now have the opportunity to treat disease in many, many different ways. We just don’t have enough money to explore all of the different pathways,” explains Prof. Lo.
Jesus Diaz of Co.Design explains how MIT scientists have found that Legos can be used more easily to assemble microfluidic laboratories. Historically, doing so "required expensive custom prototyping and manufacturing methods."
In an article for Science, Vijaysree Venkatraman highlights MIT’s Translational Fellows Program, which helps “postdocs go from being job seekers to job creators.” Founded by Yoel Fink, the program allows students to evaluate business ventures for real-world sustainability.
TechCrunch’s “Technotopia” podcast, hosted by John Biggs, features Prof. Nick Montfort, who has authored a new book, “The Future”. Montfort’s book identifies those whose work impacts the future of culture and technology.
In an article for Wired, Prof. James J. DiCarlo explains how artificial intelligence can transcend algorithm-based decision making by reverse-engineering the brain. “Armed with an engineering description of the brain, scientists will see new ways to repair, educate, and augment our own minds,” writes DiCarlo.
As Steve Rosenbush notes in the Wall Street Journal, MIT Intelligence Quest hopes to answer two questions: “How does human intelligence work, in engineering terms? And how can we use that deep grasp of human intelligence to build wiser and more useful machines?” explains President Reif.
Writing for Wired, Prof. Joi Ito explains his concerns regarding ICOs, or initial coin offerings, which are meant to be used to easily send cryptographically secure tokens or coins peer-to-peer. “We haven’t set up the legal, technical, or normative controls yet, and many people are taking advantage of this,” writes Prof. Ito.
Dean Anantha Chandrakasan speaks with Kristin Toussaint of Metro about MIT Intelligence Quest. “When you bring together researchers from different disciplines, they end up collaborating and creating something very new that they individually couldn't have created,” said Chandrakasan.
In an article for Times Higher Education, Anna Gast, president of Imperial College London, praises former MIT presidents, Vannevar Bush and Charles Vest, for their willingness to “advocate for the importance of fundamental research and the need for government support of it.”
Brian Heater writes for TechCrunch about the new Institute-wide initiative, MIT Intelligence Quest. “Many of the products are moonshoots. They involve teams of scientists and engineers working together. It’s essentially a new model and we need folks and resources behind that,” said Prof. James DiCarlo.