Bloomberg News reports that MIT alumna Megan Smith has been appointed as the White House Chief Technology Officer. In her new role, Smith will serve as a liaison between the White House and Silicon Valley companies, and advise the government on how to better use technology.
Writing for Wired, Issie Lapowsky reports that MIT graduate Megan Smith has been named the White House Chief Technology Officer. “In addition to being a gifted programmer and technologist, Smith has been one of the country’s leading advocates in the movement to get more women into tech jobs,” writes Lapowsky.
Daniel Akst of The Wall Street Journal writes about new MIT findings that could make pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) a more feasible technique for producing power from two streams of different salinity.
Brady Dale writes for Fortune about how researchers in Professor Harry Asada’s group are working on developing a robot that can act as an extra set of limbs for factory workers. The machine would conduct the less-skilled tasks in a two-person job, freeing up the other worker.
Chris Berdik of The Boston Globe interviews Professor David Wilson about his proposal in the 1970s to implement a fossil fuel tax. “I started calculating this fossil fuel tax, and I realized that with the amount we use in this country, there would obviously be a vast flow of money into the government where people would do silly things with it,” says Wilson.
In a piece for Forbes, Nancy Pardo highlights the new Smart Morphable Surface developed by MIT researchers that can change its surface texture. The material could be used to make more aerodynamic and efficient vehicles.
Cynthia Graber of Scientific American reports on the new MIT technique to use solar energy to generate steam. Graber reports that the new system reaches, “85 percent efficiency in converting the solar energy into steam."
CNET reporter Stephen Beachman highlights the new robotic glove that adds two extra fingers to the human hand. The fingers are supposed to act and react like a natural extension of your hand and allow the user to pick up much larger and heaver than a normal human hand could, Beachman reports.
“A new technology creates steam by harnessing solar energy, using a relatively cheap sponge-like material, and it does it with greater efficiency that ever previously achieved,” writes Douglas Main in a piece for Popular Science about a new solar sponge created by MIT scientists.
Liz Stinson writes for Wired about a new phase-changing material developed by MIT researchers that could be used to develop squishy, shape-shifting robots. “Hosoi envisions this principle could ultimately be beneficial in the medical field, where soft, deforming objects could easily move through the body,” Stinson reports.
Wired reporter Nick Stockton reports on Prof. Pedro Reis’ work developing a morphable surface that could be used to increase the efficiency and speed of vehicles. The surface can, “wrinkle into a dimpled pattern similar to a golf ball’s, with similar aerodynamic properties.”
Wired reporter Katie Collins writes about how a team of MIT scientists has discovered that the electricity produced by bouncing water droplets could be used to charge smart phones.
Kadhim Shubber reports on a new glove created by Professor Harry Asada with two extra fingers that responds intelligently to one’s movements. "You do not need to command the robot, but simply move your fingers naturally,” said Asada. “Then the robotic fingers react and assist your fingers."
“Researchers at MIT have created a robotic hand device that, rather than simply replacing one's grip, enhances its reach with two extra fingers,” reports NBC on a new device developed by Professor Harry Asada’s team.
The BBC reports on a new technology from Professor Harry Asada’s team that provides a robotic extension to the human hand responsive to movement. The extension—essentially two extra fingers—can be used to grasp, leaving the hand free for other tasks.