In an article for The Boston Globe about how the city of Cambridge is trying to bring ad-hoc art galleries into empty commercial spaces, Max Reyes highlights Spaceus, a startup founded by two MIT alumna that transforms unused shops into galleries and studio space for artists. “People are stoked that these spaces are no longer empty,” explains MIT graduate and Spaceus co-founder Stephanie Lee.
In an article for the Financial Times, Ashley Nunes, a research affiliate at MIT, writes about the Ethiopian Airlines crash and examines the limits of automation. “The more automated the system, the more crucial the human operator becomes,” writes Nunes. “That’s because automation doesn’t purge demand for human labour, instead it changes the type of labour needed.”
In an article for Wired, Media Lab director Joi Ito, a professor of the practice at MIT, discusses his decision to allow his young daughter to have screen time and the potential impact of technology on children. Ito argues that tech leaders should focus on “creating technology that makes screen entertainment healthier and fun for all families.”
Writing for The Washington Post, research affiliate Ashley Nunes examines the impact of countries around the world banning the Boeing 737 Max 8 from operating in their airspace. “If airlines start to believe that there is something inherently wrong with Boeing’s prized offering — or, even worse, if consumers start to identify the new 737 models as unsafe — it will have serious ramifications for Boeing,” writes Nunes.
Guardian reporter Dominic Rushe highlights research affiliate Ashley Nunes’ research showing that the cost of fully self-driving vehicles may be the biggest roadblock to integrating automated vehicles into the transportation system. “People want to talk about the tech, people want to talk about the ethics. No one wants to talk about the cost,” says Nunes.
Prof. Carlo Ratti speaks with NBC Mach reporter Wynne Parry about his vision for the city of the future. “New technologies will have an impact on the experience of the city more than on its physical form,” Ratti explains. “The way we move, communicate and shop will be radically different from how it is today.”
A storytelling robot developed by MIT researchers could be used to help boost language skills in young children and could help prepare children for learning in school, report Donna Lu for New Scientist. “If a child doesn’t start kindergarten ready to learn, it is very difficult and very expensive for them to catch up,” explains Prof. Cynthia Breazeal.
Prof. Rosalind Picard speaks with NBC Mach reporter Jessica Wapner about how wearable devices could be used to help detect and predict episodes of depression. “We’d love to get to you before you get depressed,” explains Picard, “and help you put things back in your life before you get in trouble.”
CBS This Morning correspondent Nikki Battiste visits MIT to learn more about a device developed by MIT researchers that uses wireless signals to detect food contamination. “We hope to be able to build a portable device that a person can take with them when they're trying to buy something from a supermarket or from a farmer's market,” explains Prof. Fadel Adib.
Graduate student Joy Buolamwini writes for TIME about the need to tackle gender and racial bias in AI systems. “By working to reduce the exclusion overhead and enabling marginalized communities to engage in the development and governance of AI, we can work toward creating systems that embrace full spectrum inclusion,” writes Buolamwini.
Graduate students Stephanie Lee and Ellen Shakespear speak with WBUR’s Hadley Green about Spaceus, a collaborative work and exhibition space they created for artists in the greater Boston area. Lee explains that Spaceus is committed to nurturing artists in the “heart of cities, because local creativity is what makes a place, gives it identity and meaning.”
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, spotlights how MIT researchers have developed a new imaging technique that can “provide us with jaw-dropping views of a wide range of biological systems.” Collins writes that the new “imaging approach shows much promise as a complementary tool for biological exploration.”
In an article for Fast Company about hackathons, Dan Formosa highlights how the Make the Breast Pump Not Suck Hackathon held at MIT was an inclusive event focused on addressing issues of bias, inequality and accessibility, noting how the organizers “went to extremes to assure diversity.”
Prof. Joi Ito, director of the Media Lab, writes for Wired about how AI systems can help perpetuate longstanding discriminatory practices. “By merely relying on historical data and current definitions of fairness, we will lock in the accumulated unfairnesses of the past,” argues Ito, “and our algorithms and the products they support will always trail the norms.”
Quartz reporter Jenny Anderson highlights Prof. Mitchel Resnick’s ideas for how to apply the kindergarten approach to learning to our entire educational system, in an effort to inspire lifelong learning. Anderson explains that Mitchel believes, “Kids should actively work on projects, which intersect with something they are passionate about, while working with peers in a playful environment.”