Writing about the future of clothing and fabrics, Kara Yurieff highlights the programmable material developed by the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA). The organization, which aims to “change what fabrics do,” according to Prof. Yoel Fink, will soon allow sports fans to scan jerseys at games to view player stats.
Writing for The Boston Globe, President L. Rafael Reif issues a call for allies to help address the changing nature of work in the age of automation. “Automation will transform our work, our lives, our society," writes Reif. "Whether the outcome is inclusive or exclusive, fair or laissez-faire, is up to us.”
BostInno’s Karis Hustad spotlights how Solve tackles some of the world’s most pressing challenges. “You need a different type of innovation or technology or adaptation and affordability of technology for some of the big challenges of today,” explains Alexandra Amouyel, Solve's executive director. “To do that, you need a much more bottom up, grassroots innovation process.”
In an article for HuffPost, Erandi Palihakkara highlights MIT’s Inclusive Innovation Challenge, which aims to recognize “organizations (both for profit and non-profit) that are committed to inclusion of technological innovations for economic prosperity of base and middle income earners.”
Sophomore Vick Liu speaks with CBS Boston’s Lisa Hughes about the sleeping bag he designed to help Syrian refugees. “For refugees who are living either in camps or resettlement areas, it’s very tough to stay warm,” says Liu. “There was such a large group of people who were suffering, and I was just trying to figure out how can I help.”
Channel 7’s Ryan Schulteis speaks with sophomore Vick Liu about TravelerPack, a lightweight sleeping bag Liu designed to help Syrian refugees withstand freezing winter temperatures. Liu drew on his experience as an Eagle Scout to help create the sleeping bag. “My whole goal in life is really just to impact people in a positive way,” said Liu.
Sophomore Vick Liu speaks with NECN’s Caroline Connolly about what inspired him to develop a new sleeping bag to help Syrian refugees survive harsh winters in the Middle East. "At the end of the day, we didn't start this to make money. We didn't start this to get a ton of prestige," he said. "We just wanted to help people."
Associated Press reporter Collin Binkley writes that Vick Liu, a sophomore at MIT, has developed a new line of sleeping bags designed to help Syrian refugees survive winter in the Middle East. Binkley writes that Liu, “designed the sleeping bag using his backpacking experience as an Eagle Scout but also gathered advice from refugees who fled Syria's civil war.”
Writing for The Boston Globe, MIT graduate student Matthew Claudel argues that innovation efforts should be focused on being more socially inclusive. “Municipalities that foster accessible innovation for livelihoods will reap the benefits of greater livability. It is those places, rather than techno-hubs that prize quick, marketable lifestyle amenities, that will emerge as the smartest cities of the future.”
CBS Boston’s Paula Ebben reports on MIT’s Innovation Playground, a space created for HUBweek to showcase the science, art and technological breakthroughs happening in Kendall Square. “We want people to go away and say, yup, that’s what’s going on in Kendall Square,” says Sarah Gallop of MIT’s Office of Government and Community Relations.
Prof. Pierre Azoulay discusses with Bloomberg reporter Peter Coy his research on how new ideas gain traction in science. “Azoulay found that the death of a star scientist is like the fall of a huge tree. It lets sunshine reach the forest floor through a hole in the leaf canopy, enabling new kinds of vegetation to flourish,” explains Coy.
WGBH’s Adam Reilly visits MIT spinout Embr Labs, where researchers have developed a wristband that helps the wearer feel warmer or cooler, and could also help reduce energy consumption. "Even if we could help people use their AC unit and their heating just a fraction of a degree less, the benefits for the world could be tremendous,” explains co-founder and MIT graduate David Cohen-Tanugi.
The Engine has raised $200 million and financed its first seven companies “in fields such as aerospace, advanced materials, genetic engineering and renewable energy,” reports Michael McDonald of Bloomberg.
Asma Khalid of WBUR reports that The Engine has raised $200 million and funded its first seven “tough tech” companies. "We have to believe it's a breakthrough [idea] that can have big impact in the world," says Katie Rae, president and CEO of The Engine, of the selected companies.
Boston Globe reporter Andy Rosen writes that The Engine has raised $200 million to invest in “tough tech” companies. “The interest from private investors reflects a recognition that the venture capital world must find better ways to evaluate the technical promise of emerging technologies, and give them time to succeed,” notes Katie Rae, CEO of The Engine.