Computer science and technology

Learners from around the world have completed the online course Introduction to Computer Science using Python through MITx on edX.

Most popular MITx MOOC reaches 1.2 million enrollments

Since its first online offering in 2012, Introduction to Computer Science using Python from MITx has become the most popular MOOC in MIT history.

August 30, 2018

MIT researchers have developed a machine-learning model that groups patients into subpopulations by health status to better predict a patient’s risk of dying during their stay in the ICU. This technique outperforms "global" mortality-prediction models and reveals performance disparities of those models across specific patient subpopulations.

Model improves prediction of mortality risk in ICU patients

By training on patients grouped by health status, neural network can better estimate if patients will die in the hospital.

August 29, 2018

Julia 1.0, developed and incubated at MIT, was officially released to the public during JuliaCon, an annual conference of Julia users held recently in London.

MIT-created programming language Julia 1.0 debuts

The dynamic programming language, which is free and open source, combines the speed and popular features of the best scientific and technical software.

August 27, 2018

3 Questions: Sasha Costanza-Chock on new “#MoreThanCode” report

Study of 188 practitioners distills key recommendations about using technology to advance social justice and the public interest.

August 23, 2018

The new system was developed by a CSAIL group led by Professor Dina Katabi (pictured)

A "GPS for inside your body"

CSAIL wireless system suggests future where doctors could implant sensors to track tumors or even dispense drugs.

August 20, 2018

A novel encryption method devised by MIT researchers secures data used in online neural networks, without dramatically slowing their runtimes, which holds promise for medical-image analysis using cloud-based neural networks and other applications.

More efficient security for cloud-based machine learning

Novel combination of two encryption techniques protects private data, while keeping neural networks running quickly.

August 17, 2018

CSAIL researchers have developed a visualization tool for CAD that, for the first time, lets users instead interactively explore all designs that best fit multiple, often-conflicting performance tradeoffs, in real time.

Design tool reveals a product’s many possible performance tradeoffs

Users can quickly visualize designs that optimize multiple parameters at once.

August 15, 2018

MIT researchers have developed novel photography optics, dubbed “time-folded optics,” that captures images based on the timing of reflecting light inside the lens, instead of the traditional approach that relies on the arrangement of optical components. The invention opens doors for new capabilities for ultrafast time- or depth-sensitive cameras.

Novel optics for ultrafast cameras create new possibilities for imaging

Technique can capture a scene at multiple depths with one shutter click — no zoom lens needed.

August 13, 2018

Muriel Médard, the Cecil H. Green Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at MIT, describes how 5G, or fifth generation, mobile technologies is refashioning the wireless communications and networking industry.

3Q: Muriel Médard on the world-altering rise of 5G

“The reason 5G is so different is that what exactly it will look like is still up in the air. Everyone agrees the phrase is a bit of a catch-all.”

August 10, 2018

President Reif urges “farsighted national strategy” to address China competition

New York Times op-ed by MIT president says a national focus on innovation and research is more effective than only playing defense on trade practices.

August 8, 2018