CSAIL researchers have developed a virtual reality system that allows operators to control robots remotely, reports Anthony Cuthbertson for Newsweek. The system, “uses off-the-shelf gaming and VR technology to place users in a virtual cockpit, making it more flexible and user-friendly compared to previous systems.”
CSAIL researchers have developed a new shape-shifting robot that can change outfits in order to perform different tasks, reports Timothy Revell for New Scientist. “In the future, we imagine robots like this could become mini surgeons, squished into a pill that you swallow,” explains Prof. Daniela Rus.
In an article for The Los Angeles Times, Prof. Thomas Kochan examines how new technologies can be developed to complement human workers, rather than replace them. “Companies that engage their workforce when they design and implement new technologies will be best-positioned to manage the coming AI revolution,” concludes Kochan.
MIT researchers have developed a new “socially aware” robot that can follow the rules of pedestrian conduct, reports Ben Thompson for The Boston Globe. Thompson explains that the robot, “can seamlessly move with people in public spaces. The technology could eventually lead to robots that perform a variety of delivery and transportation tasks.”
Writing for The New York Times about educational technology, Prof. Cynthia Breazeal describes her research examining the importance of social cues in learning from technology. “If we want to use technology to help people learn, we have to provide information in the way the human mind evolved to receive it,” she explains.
Research from Profs. Daniela Rus and Julie Shah is highlighted in an Economist article about collaborative robots. Rus’ team is developing softer robots, while Shah and her colleagues are tracking human movements in order to help robots avoid human contact while working, the article states.
During this episode of Globo’s “Caldeirão do Huck”, host Luciano Huck speaks with several MIT affiliates, including graduate student João Ramos to learn more about his research at MIT. The episode features a visit to Prof. Sangbae Kim’s lab, where Ramos demonstrates a robot the group developed that could be used to aid with disaster response.
A team of researchers from MIT and Princeton participating in the Amazon Robotics Challenge are using GelSight technology to give robots a sense of touch, reports Tom Simonite for Wired. Simonite explains that the, “rubbery membranes on the robot’s fingers are tracked from the inside by tiny cameras as they are deformed by objects it touches.”
CBS This Morning’s Dana Jacobson explores how MIT researchers are developing technology to enable robots to assist with disaster response, including a robotic cheetah and a system that 3-D prints robots. Prof. Russ Tedrake says that, “there's a natural transition from the robots in the labs now into the robots doing meaningful work.”
The Economist reviews Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee’s latest book, which examines how new digital technologies will impact businesses. Brynjolfsson and McAfee, “believe that the latest phase of computers and the internet have created three shifts in how work happens.”
CSAIL researchers have developed drones that can drive and fly through a city-like setting, reports Gareth Mitchell for BBC News. The goal for this research is to have the vehicles “coordinate with each other and make intelligent decisions when they fly and drive,” says graduate student Brandon Araki.
The Washington Post Editorial Board highlights a paper co-authored by Prof. David Autor examining how technological advancements are impacting the labor market. Autor found that productivity growth associated with new technologies results in higher overall employment, but that job growth has been highly polarized. The study shows the need for societies to, “redouble their efforts to provide education and training.”
Randall Stross of The Wall Street Journal examines the latest book by Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee, which explores technologies shaping the future of business. Stross writes that the, “authors present a splendid tutorial on things that are too new for most civilians to have gained a good understanding of—cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, distributed ledgers, and smart contracts.”
MIT researchers have designed a drone that can stay aloft for several days and could serve as an airborne telecommunications hub for disaster zones, reports Katherine Lin for NBC News. Prof. Warren Hoburg explains that the aircraft has a, “five-day endurance that is sized to carry a 10-pound payload at 15,000 feet.”
In an article for Bloomberg, Peter Coy examines Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee’s latest book, which examines how smart machines might be integrated into the businesses of the future. Coy explains that the book is written for, “executives and entrepreneurs trying to make their way in this brave new world of driverless cars and hackathons.”