Fortune reporter Robert Hackett writes that MIT spinoff nuTonomy is developing a fleet of driverless taxis for Singapore. Hackett writes that the company “could become the first to operate fully self-driving cars, known as ‘level four,’ in a city commercially.”
Wall Street Journal reporter Angus Loten writes that MIT researchers are investigating the viability of developing underground networks where autonomous vehicles could deliver goods in urban centers. According to Loten, Prof. Sertac Karaman explained that “subterranean drones have a number of advantages over unmanned aerial vehicles.”
In an article for The Washington Post about robots and humans, Wendell Wallach highlights Prof. David Mindell’s book “Our Robots, Ourselves.” “Mindell clearly demonstrates that the efforts of people and robots can be complementary and inextricably entangled, and can evolve together,” writes Wallach.
Emily Reynolds reports for Wired that NASA has awarded an R5 “Valkyrie” humanoid robot to a team led by Prof. Russ Tedrake. Reynolds explains that the team “will develop algorithms to make the robot more dexterous” so that they could potentially take the place of humans during extreme space missions.
A team led by Prof. Russ Tedrake has been awarded one of NASA’s R5 “Valkyrie” robots to develop software that could allow humanoid machines to assist astronauts in space, reports Rachel Feltman for The Washington Post. Feltman writes that Tedrake’s team was awarded the robot based on its strong performance in the DARPA Robotics Challenge.
NASA has awarded two humanoid robots to research groups at MIT and Northeastern, reports Brian Mastroianni for CBS News. The robots “are seen as potential tools to aid astronauts in future Mars expeditions,” writes Mastroianni. “They could potentially assist or even replace humans in extreme environments.”
Olga Khvan reports for Boston Magazine that a team from MIT has been awarded a humanoid robot for research and development. “The R5—nicknamed Valkyrie—is a humanoid robot designed to assist during human missions to Mars by completing disaster-relief maneuvers,” writes Khvan.
A team led by Prof. Russ Tedrake has been awarded a humanoid robot from NASA to develop software for future space missions, reports Hiawatha Bray for BetaBoston. NASA is “interested in modifications that would let the machines assist human astronauts during long-duration space missions,” writes Bray.
A new study co-authored by MIT researchers examines if consumers would be comfortable buying a self-driving car programmed for utilitarianism, reports Sarah Kaplan for The Washington Post. The researchers found that “participants largely agreed autonomous vehicles should be utilitarian, they didn’t necessarily believe the cars would be programmed that way.”
Prof. David Mindell speaks with Moira Gunn of KQED’s Tech Nation about his book “Our Robots, Ourselves,” and the future of autonomy. “All software embeds human values in one way or another,” says Mindell. “When we think about autonomy and driving, what are those values that are going to be embedded in our software?”
In an excerpt from Prof. David Mindell’s new book published on Slate, Mindell argues that humans have a presence on Mars thanks to rovers that are exploring the planet and are controlled by human operators on Earth. “The rovers are more like programmable, mobile laboratories than scientists, physical more than cognitive surrogates,” writes Mindell.
Richard Waters of the Financial Times writes about Prof. David Mindell’s new book, “Our Robots, Ourselves,” which examines robotics and automation. Waters writes that, “Mindell brings an altogether refreshing perspective to a field that can sometimes get lost in the ‘what if.’”
Matt McFarland writes for The Washington Post about Prof. David Mindell’s new book, in which he argues that automation can take away from the enjoyment of working. “The most advanced (and difficult) technologies are not those that stand apart from people, but those that are most deeply embedded in, and responsive to, human and social networks,” Mindell explains.
Researchers from MIT and Olin College are developing technology that could allow fleets of drones to aid firefighters in combatting wildfires, reports Barb Darrow for Fortune. The drones would be used to “collect intelligence about the fire as fast as possible for human fire-fighting experts,” writes Darrow.
Richard Waters of The Financial Times reports that Toyota is funding new research centers at MIT and Stanford to research technologies that could enable computer-assisted driving. Waters explains that the goal behind the new centers is to give “drivers the choice one day of handing over full control to the AI ‘brains’ in their vehicles.”