For the first time, MIT physicists have successfully imaged how heat travels in a superfluid, known as a “second sound,” reports Darren Orf for Popular Mechanics. “While exotic superfluids may not fill up our lives (yet),” writes Orf, “understanding the properties of second wave movement could help questions regarding high-temperature superconductors (again, still at very low temperatures) or the messy physics that lie at the heart of neutron stars.”
Physics World reporter Tim Wogan spotlights how MIT physicists have developed a new technique for measuring the temperature of “second sound,” the movement of heat through a superfluid. “The work could help model a variety of scientifically interesting and poorly understood systems, including high temperature superconductors and neutron stars,” Wogan explains.
Writing for Bloomberg, Prof. Carlo Ratti and Arianna Salazar-Miranda SM '16, PhD '23 explore the possibility and potential of developing 15-minute cities in America. “If implemented correctly, the 15-minute city can be an agent of freedom: freedom from traffic jams, freedom to live in a healthy environment and freedom to be outside,” they write. “It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but our research shows that almost every community in America could benefit from a few more well-placed amenities.”
MIT researchers have discovered that “stars at the edge of our home galaxy appear to be moving more slowly than expected,” reports Jess Thomson. This discovery “implies that the galaxy itself may be structured differently from how scientists first thought, with the core of the Milky Way possibly containing less dark matter and, therefore, being lighter in mass than first assumed,” explains Thomson.
Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed an AI model that is capable of identifying 3 ½ times more people who are at high-risk for developing pancreatic cancer than current standards, reports Felice J. Freyer for The Boston Globe. “This work has the potential to enlarge the group of pancreatic cancer patients who can benefit from screening from 10 percent to 35 percent,” explains Freyer. “The group hopes its model will eventually help detect risk of other hard-to-find cancers, like ovarian.”
Javier Ramos '12, SM '14, co-founder of InkBit, and his colleagues have developed a, “3D inkjet printer that uses contact-free computer vision feedback to print hybrid objects with a broad range of new functional chemistries,” reports Ed Brown for Tech Briefs. “Our vision for Inkbit is to reshape how the world thinks about production, from design to execution and make our technology readily available,” says Ramos. “The big opportunity with 3D printing is how to disrupt the world of manufacturing — that’s what we're focused on.”
Scientific American reporter Payal Dhar spotlights how MIT engineers developed a beating, biorobotic replica of the human heart that could be used to “simulate the workings of both a healthy organ and a diseased one.” The replica, "which pumps a clear fluid instead of blood, is hooked up to instruments that measure blood flow, blood pressure, and more," writes Dhar. "It’s also customizable: the user can change the heart rate, blood pressure and other parameters, then watch how these changes affect the heart’s function in real time.”
Smithsonian Magazine reporter Sarah Kuta spotlights MIT researchers and their work in developing an ingestible vibrating pill that simulates the feeling of being full. The device “could someday offer an obesity treatment that doesn’t rely on standard medications or surgery,” writes Kuta.
MIT researchers have created a vibrating capsule that can send signals to the brain to simulate the sensation of being full, reports Brian Heater for TechCrunch. “The capsule, which is roughly the size of a standard multi-vitamin, contains a vibrating motor, powered by a silver oxide battery,” explains Heater. “After reaching the stomach, gastric acid dissolves the outside layer and completes the circuit, kickstarting the vibration.”
Researchers at MIT have developed a vibrating pill that “significantly reduces food consumption by mimicking the feeling of fullness,” reports Arianna Johnson for Forbes. Researchers believe, “the pill can be used as a cheaper, noninvasive option to treat obesity and other weight-related illnesses,” writes Johnson.
MIT researchers have created “a vibrating pill that stimulates nerve endings in the stomach to tell the brain it’s time to stop eating,” reports Mitch Leslie for Science. “A gel plug in the pill keeps the motor from switching on,” explains Leslie. “But the gel dissolves rapidly when it contacts stomach fluid, allowing the motor to start turning. When that happens, the pill shakes for about 38 minutes, roughly the amount of time it would stay in the stomach. The researchers hypothesized that these vibrations would stimulate the stretch-sensing nerve endings and signal satiety.”
Newsweek reporter Pandora Dewan spotlights MIT researchers and their work developing an ingestible vibrating pill that can mimic the sensation of fullness. "The development of new non-invasive methods for treating obesity is of importance in confronting the multifaceted challenges posed by this global health crisis," says Shriya Srinivasan PhD ’20. "Traditional interventions, such as invasive surgeries, can be associated with significant risks, costs and lifestyle modifications, limiting their applicability and effectiveness.”
Researchers at MIT have developed a vibrating pill that can be swallowed before eating to create a feeling of fullness, reports Nicola Davis for The Guardian. “This approach offers an alternative and potentially synergistic approach to other therapies available today,” says Prof. Giovanni Traverso.
Researchers at MIT have developed “a battery-operated capsule-like device that’s supposed to make you feel full by stretching out your stomach using vibration,” reports Miriam Fauzia for Inverse. “Considering that diet and exercise are hard to maintain, especially for long-term weight loss, and medical interventions like gastric bypass surgery and the newest wave of injectables cost more than a pretty penny, [Shriya] Srinivasan PhD ’20 and her colleagues want their vibrating pill to be an accessible alternative,” writes Fauzia.
Forbes contributor William Haseltine spotlights how MIT researchers have developed a flexible ultrasound patch that can be used to help estimate bladder volume. “The applications for long-term therapeutic and regenerative medicine for the ultrasound patch are innumerable, only to be limited by the imagination of those implementing their use,” writes Haseltine. “Among the most forthcoming are situations where someone may be unable to visit their physician for a medically-administered ultrasound.”