Manufacturing

The Jenga-playing robot demonstrates something that’s been tricky to attain in previous systems: the ability to quickly learn the best way to carry out a task, not just from visual cues, as it is commonly studied today, but also from tactile, physical interactions.

MIT robot combines vision and touch to learn the game of Jenga

Machine-learning approach could help robots assemble cellphones and other small parts in a manufacturing line.

January 30, 2019

Associate Professor Asegun Henry is researching how to use superheated metals like molten tin to store heat from a concentrated solar power system, so it can be used to generate electricity as needed.

Tackling greenhouse gases

Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering are developing technologies that store, capture, convert, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

January 7, 2019

MIT researchers have devised a technique that “reverse engineers” complex 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models — breaking them down into the many individual shapes they’re made of — to make them far easier for users to customize for manufacturing and 3-D printing applications.

Customizing computer-aided design

System breaks down complex designs into easily modifiable shapes for custom manufacturing and 3-D printing.

January 2, 2019

MIT researchers have 3-D printed a novel microfluidic device that simulates cancer treatments on biopsied tumor tissue — and keeps the tissue alive for days — so clinicians can better examine how individual patients will respond to different therapeutics.

To guide cancer therapy, device quickly tests drugs on tumor tissue

Inexpensive 3-D-printed microfluidics device could be used to personalize cancer treatment.

December 12, 2018

The principal researchers of Lincoln Laboratory's 12 finalists for 2018 R&D 100 Awards pose with Lincoln Laboratory Director Eric Evans (far left). The principal researchers of the 10 winning technologies are holding their award plaques.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory wins 10 R&D 100 Awards

Technologies ranging from a hurricane-evacuation decision platform to algorithms that compare DNA samples honored as some of the world's best inventions of 2018.

November 30, 2018

Associate Professor A. John Hart (right), doctoral student Adam Stevens SM ’15, and their colleagues have designed a 3-D printer that can deposit material 10 times faster than today’s desktop models can. The team has also developed a novel process for 3-D printing using cellulose, a widely available natural polymer.

Accelerating 3-D printing

Researchers have designed a novel printhead that works with unprecedented speed and pioneered ways to melt and extrude renewable materials.

November 29, 2018

The RePaint system reproduces paintings by combining two approaches called color-contoning and halftoning, as well as a deep learning model focused on determining how to stack 10 different inks to recreate the specific shades of color.

Reproducing paintings that make an impression

CSAIL's new RePaint system aims to faithfully recreate your favorite paintings using deep learning and 3-D printing.

November 29, 2018

Photos show a solar installation from 1988 (left) and a present-day version. Though the basic underlying technology is the same, a variety of factors have contributed to a hundredfold decline in costs. Now, researchers have identified the relative importance of these different factors.

Explaining the plummeting cost of solar power

Researchers uncover the factors that have caused photovoltaic module costs to drop by 99 percent.

November 20, 2018

The 2018 Election Insights series includes: Research-based commentaries by MIT experts on key issues for the country; a "Music for the Midterms" playlist; and an annotated election booklist.

Analyzing the 2018 election: Insights from MIT scholars

SHASS faculty members offer research-based perspectives with commentaries, plus a Music for the Midterms playlist, and an election book list.

October 30, 2018

By integrating conductive wires along with microfluidic channels in long fibers, the researchers were able to demonstrate the ability to sort cells — in this case, separating living cells from dead ones, because the cells respond differently to an electric field. The live cells, shown in green, are pulled toward the outside edge of the channels, while the dead cells (red) are pulled toward the c...

Inside these fibers, droplets are on the move

Fibers containing systems for mixing, separating, and testing fluids may open up new possibilities for medical screening.

October 29, 2018

MIT Task Force on the Work of the Future announces advisory and research boards

Leaders from industry, academia, labor, government, foundations, and other organizations, as well as leading scholars in related fields, will provide guidance.

October 24, 2018

Desktop Metal's Studio System is designed to make the production of metal parts an office-friendly experience.

Startup uses 3-D printing to reinvent the production of metal parts

With an MIT alumnus and four professors among its co-founders, Desktop Metal is pushing the boundaries of metal 3-D printing.

October 5, 2018

As the additive manufacturing lead at Lincoln Laboratory, Derek Straub works with technical staff to design 3-D-printed parts for various systems and technologies and oversees production on nine industrial machines.

Derek Straub: Shaping the future of additive manufacturing

Lincoln Laboratory's 3-D printing lead has been named to Manufacturing Engineering magazine's 30 Under 30 list.

September 25, 2018

A new way to remove ice buildup without power or chemicals

Passive solar-powered system could prevent freezing on airplanes, wind turbines, powerlines, and other surfaces.

August 31, 2018

Photos illustrate how the tiny droplets produced by a mesh barrier prevent plants from being pummeled by the larger droplets from either rainfall or the spraying of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. The smaller droplets in the image at right have little effect on the plant, while the droplets at left batter its leaves heavily.

New approach makes sprayed droplets hit and stick to their targets

Using a simple mesh screen may allow farmers to dramatically reduce the amount of pesticides they spray.

August 28, 2018

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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