MIT student teams win top honors in NASA competition
Three MIT teams took five top awards in the 2026 NASA RASC-AL Competition for designing critical elements for the moon base and future missions to Mars.
LLMs help robots understand vague instructions and focus on key details
To help robots do chores in places like homes and factories, a new approach from MIT uses one language model to clarify users’ instructions, then another to ignore irrelevant info.
Exploring the societal impacts of AI
During the AI and Society Forum, leading MIT researchers examined critical questions about AI’s influence on employment and democracy.
New chip could help tiny robots traverse complex environments
Researchers combined an efficient algorithm with dedicated hardware to rapidly generate 3D maps for navigation using minimal memory and power.
Could AI tell you where you left your keys?
A new spatial memory system for robots efficiently captures details about the objects they see while exploring their environment.
MIT affiliates win 2026 Hertz Foundation Fellowships
The fellowships in applied sciences, engineering, and mathematics recognize doctoral students who are pursuing solutions to the most pressing challenges in science and technology.
New imaging system sees through murky waters
The “Sonar-MASt3R” combines sonar and visual data to create real-time 3D maps, even in cloudy water.
Startup helps retailers track their products in real-time
Using technology invented at MIT, Cartesian’s system for locating objects could also find uses in manufacturing, logistics, and robotics.
Ambassadors of STEM
A new MIT student club for FIRST Robotics alumni aims to promote hands-on STEM education enrichment for K-12 students.
New research enables a robot to chart a better course
By rapidly generating a smooth path plan that cuts travel time and avoids obstacles, the open-source “MIGHTY” system could streamline disaster recovery and parcel delivery.
Two from MIT named 2026 Knight-Hennessy Scholars
The prestigious fellowship funds graduate studies at Stanford University.
It took 40 years for technology to catch up to this zipper design
An old patent from MIT Professor Bill Freeman inspired the new “Y-zipper,” a three-sided fastener that snaps gear, robots, and art into shape at the push of a button.
With a swipe of a magnet, microscopic “magno-bots” perform complex maneuvers
MIT researchers’ new fabrication technique can produce soft, microscopic structures with magnetically activated moving parts.
Robotically assembled building blocks could make construction more efficient and sustainable
New research suggests constructing a simple building from interlocking subunits should be mechanically feasible and have a much smaller carbon footprint.
Tackling the housing shortage with robotic microfactories
Reframe Systems, co-founded by Vikas Enti SM '20, creates microfactories for modular home construction, reducing carbon emissions and costs.