MIT researchers have developed a device that allows humans to guide robots using brainwaves, reports Clive Cookson for the Financial Times. The prototype brain-computer interface “enables a human observer to transmit an immediate error message to a robot, telling it to fix a mistake when it does something wrong.”
MIT researchers have estimated that 1,200 people in Europe could die prematurely due to excess emissions from Volkswagen vehicles sold in Germany, reports Steph Yin for The New York Times. Research assistant Guillaume Chossière says that the study demonstrates why manufacturers should make nitrogen oxides emissions “as low as possible by allowing emissions-control devices to work properly.”
New Scientist reporter Matt Reynolds writes that MIT researchers have developed a new brain-computer interface that enables people to correct robots’ mistakes using brain signals. “We’re taking baby steps towards having machines learn about us, and having them adjust to what we think,” explains Prof. Daniela Rus, director of CSAIL.
Wall Street Journal reporter James Hagerty spotlights Institute Professor Emerita Mildred Dresselhaus’ pioneering work in thermoelectric materials and as an advocate for women in science. Prof. Pablo Jarillo-Herrero says that Dresselhaus, who died on February 20th, was also known for helping struggling students. “She was always able to see the best in you and bring it out.”
MIT researchers have found that pollution from Volkswagen vehicles rigged to pass vehicle emissions standards tests could lead to 1,200 premature deaths in Europe, according to the AFP. The researchers found that the excess pollution “corresponded to about 1.9 billion euros ($2 billion) in health costs and lost labor productivity.”
Boston Herald reporter Jordan Graham writes that MIT researchers have estimated that excess pollution from VW vehicles sold in Germany could lead to 1,200 premature deaths in Europe. Graham writes that the researchers found that the pollution “will likely lead to an increase in respiratory disease.”
MIT researchers have developed a cost-effective, cell analysis method using graphene sheets, reports Brooks Hays for UPI. The new technique could allow “simple sheets of graphene oxide to function as a diagnostics device for medical and biological tests,” Hays explains.
MIT researchers have found that excess emissions from Volkswagen vehicles could cause 1,200 premature deaths in Europe, reports Alexander Kaufman for The Huffington Post. “The scientists determined their findings by applying widely accepted epidemiological techniques, gleaned from decades-long studies tracking the effects of exposure to pollution on large populations over time."
TIME reporter Charlotte Alter writes that a new study by MIT researchers shows that excess air pollution from Volkswagen vehicles could shorten the lives of thousands of people in Europe. The researchers estimated that “1,200 lives would be shortened because of the increased air pollution.”
In this video, TechCrunch explores how MIT researchers are designing new techniques to make it easier for robots to grasp and manipulate objects. Graduate student Nikhil Chavan-Dafle explains that he and his colleagues developed a model that allows robots to “predict how an object is going to move in the grasp.”
MIT senior Lilly Chin, winner of the 2017 Jeopardy! College Championship, speaks to Paris Alston of WGBH about her experience on the competition. “I wasn’t expecting to get in, I just wanted to have some fun with it,” Chin says about initially trying out for the quiz show.
Nima, a startup founded by alumni Shireen Yates and Scott Sundvor, has been named to CNBC’s list of 25 promising start-ups for its portable food allergy detector, reports Ashley McHugh-Chiappone. “I just wanted a quick, easy way to test a piece of the dish and see for myself if it was gluten-free," says Yates of her inspiration for the device.
NPR reporter Colin Dwyer writes about the life and work of Institute Professor Emerita Mildred Dresselhaus, who died at 86. Dwyer writes that “during her celebrated career, she sought to prepare a path for potential successors — the female scientists whom she mentored and opened doors for across decades.”
Lilly Chin, a senior at MIT majoring in electrical engineering and computer science, won the 2017 Jeopardy! College Championship, reports Kenneth Singletary for The Boston Globe. Singletary notes that “for her efforts, Chin won $100,000 and a chance to play on the Tournament of Champions.”
Daniel Akst of The Wall Street Journal writes about the wearable device developed by CSAIL researchers that can detect the emotional tone of a conversation. The researchers “are pushing the boundaries by training a computer to take account of such a wide range of factors in making judgments about emotion,” writes Akst.