New York Times reporter Pam Belluck writes that MIT researchers have developed a new, non-invasive deep brain stimulation technique. The technique could be used to help treat, “a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders more cheaply and safely than current approaches,” writes Belluck.
MIT researchers have developed a non-invasive technique for deep brain stimulation, which could be used to help patients with brain diseases, reports Mo Costandi for The Guardian. “Targets for disorders such as depression, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, and so forth, are deep in the brain, and they might be more selectively stimulatable with our method,” says Prof. Ed Boyden.
Researchers at MIT have developed a surgical technique that could lead to more lifelike prosthetic limbs, reports Matthew Hutson for Science. The new technique, coupled with a smart prosthetic, should enable users to “feel the same way that they once felt when they had a limb,” says Prof. Hugh Herr.
Washington Post reporter Ben Guarino writes that a study by research scientist Nick Obradovich provides evidence that rising temperatures caused by climate change could increase the number of nights where people have difficulty sleeping. The researchers found that “increasing temperatures could add six additional restless nights per month per 100 people, and 14 nights by 2099.”
In an article for The New York Times about the growing number of autonomous public transportation programs in Europe, Mark Scott highlights Prof. Carlo Ratti’s work testing driverless boats in Amsterdam. In addition to ferrying people and goods, the driverless boats will also be able to “automatically dock with each other, creating on-demand bridges and walkways whenever necessary."
Graduate student Joy Buolamwini speaks with Guardian reporter Ian Tucker about her work fighting algorithmic biases. Buolamwini explains that she is, “trying to identify bias, to point out cases where bias can occur so people can know what to look out for, but also develop tools where the creators of systems can check for a bias in their design.”
Writing for The Los Angeles Times, Deborah Netburn examines a study by MIT researchers that shows climate change could affect how well people sleep at night. “There are going to be lots and lots of impacts of climate change and this is just another factor in a mosaic of negative factors,” says research scientist Nick Obradovich.
A study by research scientist Nick Obradovich finds that increasing temperatures caused by climate change could impact sleep quality, particularly for the poor and elderly, reports Marlene Cimons for Popular Science. Obradovich explains that the study shows, “ambient temperature can play a role in disrupting sleep but also that climate change might make the situation worse by driving up rates of sleep loss.”
Popular Science reporter Rachel Feltman writes that MIT researchers have developed shape-changing noodles that transform from a flat sheet into 3-D shapes when submerged in water. Feltman explains that by packing pasta in flat sheets, “manufacturers could cut packaging sizes in half—cutting down on wasted cardboard and shipping container space.”
Washington Post reporter Travis Andrews writes that MIT researchers have created a workout suit with ventilating flaps embedded with bacteria that automatically open and close in response to sweat. Andrews explains that “as the bacteria relaxes and shrinks into itself, the cells pull away from the wearer, opening the flaps and letting fresh air flood in.”
U.S. News & World Report’s Visi Tilak spotlights NuVu Studios, a school started by MIT graduates to create more hands-on learning experiences for middle and high school students. MIT alumna and NuVu co-founder Saba Ghole explains that students use “curiosity and creativity to explore new ideas, and make their concepts come to life.”
MIT researchers have developed a workout suit with vents that are triggered by bacteria to automatically open in response to sweat, reports Rob Verger for Popular Science. Verger explains that the researchers hope to apply the technology to create clothing that can, “produce a pleasant smell when you sweat.”
Daily Mail reporter Colin Fernandez writes that MIT researchers have developed a self-ventilating workout suit that can help keep athletes cool and dry while they exercise. Fernandez explains that the suit is embedded with harmless microbes that contract when they sense heat or cold, triggering flaps in the suit to open and close.
New Scientist reporter Timothy Revell writes that a new study by Prof. Iyad Rahwan shows that automation will have a larger impact on jobs in smaller cities. Rahwan and his colleagues found that “towns and small cities have a smaller proportion of jobs that will be resilient to automation than larger urban centers.”
MIT graduate student Manisha Mohan has developed a device, called the Smell Camera, which can record specific scents, writes Antonia DePace for Boston Magazine. Mohan’s struggle with homesickness inspired her to create the Smell Camera, which allows users to capture and store the scent of a particular object.