Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)

Jonathan Amos reports for the BBC News that scientists around the world are close to obtaining the first image of a black hole. Data from multiple observatories will be compiled at MIT’s Haystack Observatory where “very smart imaging algorithms have had to be developed to make sense of the [Event Horizon Telescope]'s observations,” writes Amos.

In this episode of NOVA that explores how origami is being used in scientific innovations, Prof. Erik Demaine speaks about his work applying math to create new origami figures. “It’s mind blowing that the simple operation of folding lets you transform a boring square of paper into super complicated, crazy 3-D shapes," he explains. 

TechCrunch reporter Brian Heater writes that MIT researchers have developed a speech recognition chip that uses a fraction of the power of existing technologies. “The chip is essentially designed to be always on in a low-power mode, switching over when voice is detected, thus making it ideal for technologies like wearable devices,” Heater explains.

CSAIL researchers Tuka Al-Hanai and Mohammad Ghassemi speak to the BBC’s Gareth Mitchell about their system that can detect the tone of a conversation. Ghassemi explains that this research will provide “the first steps toward feedback,” for people who struggle to read social cues. ​

CSAIL researchers have developed a wearable AI system that allows users to detect the tone of a conversation in real-time, reports Janet Burns for Forbes. Using two algorithms to analyze data, the researchers were able to “classify each five-second chunk of conversation as positive, neutral, or negative,” explains Burns.

A new study conducted by MIT researchers shows that ride-sharing services could reduce the number of cars on the road in New York City by 75 percent, according to the BBC News. The researchers found that “a fleet of 3,000 four-passenger taxis could do the same job as the current fleet of 13,000 yellow cabs in New York City.”

BBC News reports that CSAIL researchers have created an algorithm that can manipulate still objects in photographs and videos. The technique doesn’t require any special cameras, which makes it great for improving the realism in augmented reality games like Pokémon Go.

Dan Misener reports for CBC News that MIT researchers have developed a new wireless tracking system, called Chronos, that can pinpoint a user’s location to within centimeters. Misener explains that Chronos, “can be used to turn a regular Wi-Fi router into a sort of radar system that can detect objects and where they are in the world.”

MIT researchers have developed a device that can trace the movement of a person’s silhouette through a wall using wireless signals, reports Robert Ferris for CNBC. The device can "distinguish up to 15 different individuals with 90 percent accuracy,” Ferris explains. 

In this video, the BBC’s LJ Rich reports on the 3-D printed, soft robotic hand developed by researchers at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. Rich explains that the robotic hand can “handle objects as delicate as an egg and as thin as a compact disk.”

Writing for Popular Science, Mary Beth Griggs reports on the soft robotic gripper developed by researchers at MIT CSAIL. “The silicone fingers are equipped with sensors that analyze the object they are touching and compare it to other items in its database,” Griggs writes. 

CNBC reporter Robert Ferris writes about how MIT researchers have developed a soft robotic hand that can identify and safely grasp delicate objects. Ferris explains that the researchers designed a “soft silicone ‘hand’ with embedded sensors that they can train to recognize different things.” 

MIT CSAIL researchers have developed a silicon gripper that allows robots to grasp a wide variety of items, reports Nidhi Subbaraman for BetaBoston. Subbaraman explains that the hand expands “to accommodate a shape, and grasps radially – surrounding an object instead of picking it up with pincers.”

Huffington Post reporter Nitya Rajan writes about a new 3-D printer designed by researchers at MIT CSAIL that can print up to 10 different materials at once. Rajan writes that, “this machine has just bought us one step closer to printing just about anything we fancy, on demand.”

MIT researchers have developed an algorithm that allows a team of three robots to serve drinks, writes Gordon Gottsegen for Wired: “While the real-world application of this research may seem like the beer fetching itself (to us at least), the method that allows robots to execute tasks despite uncertainty may have practical usages.”