Internet of things

Venkat Arun of MIT stands in front of the prototype of RFocus, a software-controlled “smart surface” that uses more than 3,000 antennas to maximize the strength of the signal at the receiver.

A smart surface for smart devices

External system improves phones’ signal strength 1,000 percent, without requiring extra antennas.

February 3, 2020

Sending clearer signals

Associate Professor Yury Polyanskiy is working to keep data flowing as the “internet of things” becomes a reality.

January 11, 2020

A system designed by researchers at MIT and elsewhere enables interconnected smart devices to cooperatively pinpoint their positions in noisy environments where GPS usually fails, which is useful for emerging “localization-of-things” applications.

System helps smart devices find their position

Connected devices can now share position information, even in noisy, GPS-denied areas.

October 2, 2019

MIT researchers have designed low-cost, photovoltaic-powered sensors on RFID tags that work in sunlight and dimmer indoor lighting, and can transmit data for years before needing replacement.

Photovoltaic-powered sensors for the “internet of things”

RFID-based devices work in indoor and outdoor lighting conditions, and communicate at greater distances.

September 27, 2019

MIT researchers have developed a novel chip that can compute complex quantum-proof encryption schemes efficiently enough to protect low-power “internet of things” (IoT) devices.

Securing the “internet of things” in the quantum age

Efficient chip enables low-power devices to run today’s toughest quantum encryption schemes.

March 1, 2019

A new system developed at CSAIL was shown to have stronger security guarantees than Intel's existing approach for preventing so-called "timing attacks" like Meltdown and Spectre, made possible by hardware vulnerabilities.

Defending against Spectre and Meltdown attacks

New system breaks up cache memory more efficiently to better protect computer systems against timing attacks.

October 18, 2018

For the first time, the researchers from MIT and AFFOA have produced fibers with embedded electronics that are so flexible they can be woven into soft fabrics and made into wearable clothing.

Introducing the latest in textiles: Soft hardware

Researchers incorporate optoelectronic diodes into fibers and weave them into washable fabrics.

August 8, 2018

An atmospheric scene, called "Forest," with video from thesilentwatcher.com, is part of the Mediated Atmospheres project by Nan Zhao.

Smart office enables a personalized workplace atmosphere

Project out of the MIT Media Lab uses biosensors and machine learning to optimize the sensory experience in individual work environments.

July 13, 2018

A team of MIT engineers has developed a “smart power outlet” in the form of a device that can analyze electrical current usage from a single or multiple outlets.

MIT engineers build smart power outlet

Design can “learn” to identify plugged-in appliances, distinguish dangerous electrical spikes from benign ones.

June 15, 2018

Using wireless signals, RF-Pose could serve as a health care system to monitor patients' movements from the other side of a wall.

Artificial intelligence senses people through walls

Wireless smart-home system from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory could monitor diseases and help the elderly “age in place.”

June 12, 2018

Clipart of someone with laptop and lab equipment

Startup makes labs smarter

Platform connects individual pieces of lab equipment, compiles data in the cloud for speedier, more accurate research.

January 25, 2018

At an MIT workshop on the internet of things, experts discussed massive multiple-access. From left to right: Wei Yang of Qualcomm, Wei Yu of the University of Toronto, Giuseppe Durisi of Chalmers University, and Giuseppe Caire of the Technical University of Berlin.

Gearing up for the internet of things

Workshop brings together academia and industry to explore how to prepare next-generation wireless for machine-to-machine communication.

November 22, 2017

A new smartphone app analyzes a car’s sounds and vibrations, as measured by the phone’s microphone and accelerometers. “We’re listening to the car’s breathing, and listening for when it starts to snore,” Joshua Siegel says.

Let your car tell you what it needs

MIT team develops software that can tell if tires need air, spark plugs are bad, or air filter needs replacing.

October 25, 2017

MIT President Reif attends White House technology meeting

Conference convened by the White House Office of American Innovation includes leading corporate CEOs and other technology leaders.

June 19, 2017

Marty Ellis, of Inman Mills in South Carolina, checks a machine manufacturing fabric developed through AFFOA.

AFFOA launches state-of-the-art facility for prototyping advanced fabrics

New center for development of high-tech fibers and fabrics opens headquarters, unveils two products ready for commercialization.