Games

Play Labs accelerator announces second annual open call for submissions

Digital currency and blockchain technology added to this year’s list of “playful tech” eligible startups.

January 24, 2018

Giant Otter Technologies, founded by artificial intelligence video game developer Jeff Orkin, an MIT Media Lab alumnus, has developed a platform that uses AI algorithms and crowdsourced annotators to build a natural-language database that helps chatbots expertly navigate human conversations.

Bots that talk more like people

AI platform allows chatbots to draw on robust language database to better navigate human conversation.

January 23, 2018

D. Fox Harrell is the director of the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

3Q: D. Fox Harrell on his video game for the #MeToo era

The computer scientist’s group has designed a game that gets players to reflect on sexual misconduct in the workplace.

January 19, 2018

Senior Matt Guthmiller (left), who flew a six-seat plane around the world at age 19, and Philip Greenspun ’82, PhD ’99 are among the pilots teaching students to fly during IAP.

During IAP, MIT community steps out of its comfort zone

For a campus that prizes creative risk-taking, Independent Activities Period is a cultural touchstone.

January 10, 2018

MyGoodness players are faced with a series of choices between different charities, giving away a hypothetical $100 at each turn.

MyGoodness: Making charitable giving more effective

Online game uses hypothetical choices and real cash prizes to educate people on how to make their most of their generosity.

December 15, 2017

Incoming freshman Kaylee de Soto got a head start at MIT, arriving in June to help the Plasma Science and Fusion Center update its fusion video game.

Kaylee de Soto: A game changer

Incoming freshman refreshes Plasma Science and Fusion Center outreach tools.

September 6, 2017

Tuesday night, at the inaugural Play Labs demo event, 13 startups presented products they’ve developed in the accelerator. Afterward, the crowd was treated to live demonstrations of the technologies.

Demo day showcases serious innovation in “playful” tech

Play Labs startups include virtual pets, nausea-reducing virtual reality games, and augmented-reality paintballing.

August 17, 2017

Play Labs announces first class of VR/AR/playful startups and demo session

First accelerator program on the MIT campus will showcase 12 startups across a mix of gaming, virtual reality, esports, and augmented reality technologies.

June 27, 2017

PhD student Danielle Olson believes we can make digital information-sharing more natural and interpersonal, by creating immersive media to better understand each other’s feelings and backgrounds.

Danielle Olson: Building empathy through computer science and art

CSAIL PhD student creates immersive media to help users understand each other’s backgrounds and feelings.

May 30, 2017

Play Labs, a playful tech accelerator for MIT students and alumni, launches

MIT Game Lab, Bayview Labs, and Seraph Group announce funding, facilities, and mentorship for startups focusing on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality.

January 20, 2017