Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Joel Jean (left) and Vladimir Bulović (center) of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Patrick Brown of the Department of Physics have, together with their collaborators, performed a rigorous assessment of today’s many commercial and emerging solar photovoltaic technologies. They conclude that none should be ruled out, given the urgent need to move to a low-carbon...

Study assesses solar photovoltaic technologies

MIT researchers recommend rapidly scaling up current silicon-based systems while continuing to work on other technologies.

December 16, 2015

For each image, the MemNet algorithm creates a heat map identifying its most memorable and forgettable regions.

Deep-learning algorithm predicts photos’ memorability at “near-human” levels

Future versions of an algorithm from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab could help with teaching, marketing, and memory improvement.

December 16, 2015

CSAIL shows off demos to 150 high-schoolers for “Hour of Code”

Robots, 3-D printers, and a surprise guest aim to get students excited about computer science.

December 14, 2015

3Q: Scott Aaronson on Google’s new quantum-computing paper

Google experiments suggest that the D-Wave computer exploits quantum phenomena.

December 11, 2015

Humans and machines were given an image of a novel character (top) and asked to produce new versions. A machine generated the nine-character grid on the left.

Computer system passes “visual Turing test”

Character-drawing machines can fool human judges.

December 10, 2015

David Forney awarded the IEEE Medal of Honor

Highest award bestowed by IEEE honors exceptional contributions to the field of data communications.

December 8, 2015

This self-folding microbot was among the many innovations that emerged from CSAIL in 2015.

Data, drones, and 3-D-printed hearts

Looking back on the year that was: Highlights from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab in 2015.

December 8, 2015

“Tor operates under the assumption that there’s not a global adversary that’s paying attention to every single link in the world,” Nickolai Zeldovich says. “Maybe these days this is not as good of an assumption.”

Untraceable communication — guaranteed

New untraceable text-messaging system comes with statistical guarantees.

December 7, 2015

The Morris and Sophie Chang Building (foreground left) borders the vibrant Kendall Square technology hub.

MIT to name signature building on the Charles River in honor of Morris and Sophie Chang

December 2, 2015

Matt Reimer stands in front of his driverless tractor in Manitoba, Canada.

MITx MOOC helps a farmer develop an autonomous tractor app

After taking an online programming course through MITx, Canadian farmer Matt Reimer develops a driverless tractor app to accelerate harvesting.

December 1, 2015

Energy UROP student Jessie Hsiao (left), who is studying chemical engineering, and graduate student advisor Steven Brown research CO2 electrocatalytic reduction

Energy UROP: The intersection of research experience and real-world solutions

Students gain hands-on experience over the summer with MITEI's Energy Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

November 24, 2015

Clockwise from top left: Professors Karl Berggren, Edmund Bertschinger, Victor Zue, and Gerald Fink have been named AAAS Fellows.

Four MIT faculty elected 2015 AAAS Fellows

Berggren, Bertschinger, Fink, and Zue are among those recognized for efforts toward advancing science.

November 23, 2015

MIT researchers have shown that some phone apps engage in “covert communication.” “There might be a very good reason for this covert communication. We are not trying to say that it has to be eliminated. We’re just saying the user needs to be informed,” says Julia Rubin, a postdoc in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

What are your apps hiding?

Half of the communication connections established by the top 500 Android apps have no effect on user experience.

November 19, 2015

D. Fox Harrell, associate Professor of digital media, has appointments in MIT Comparative Media Studies/Writing, and the MIT Computer Science and Artificial intelligence Laboratory.

Designing virtual identities for empowerment and social change

D. Fox Harrell receives $1.35 million in grant funding to advance research at the intersection of social science and digital technology.

November 18, 2015

Sixty-one women from 25 institutions attended the 2015 MIT Rising Stars in EECS workshop.

It takes a network

Rising Stars workshop helps female electrical engineers and computer scientists build a professional network, find jobs in academia.