School of Engineering

Writing for Slate, Elliot Hannon reports on the new technology developed by MIT researchers that allows audio to be extracted from visual information by processing the vibrations of sound waves as they move through objects.

Hal Hodson of New Scientist reports on the new algorithm developed by MIT researchers that can turn visual images into sound. "We were able to recover intelligible speech from maybe 15 feet away, from a bag of chips behind soundproof glass," explains Abe Davis, a graduate student at MIT. 

Michael Morisy writes for BetaBoston about an algorithm developed by MIT researchers that can recreate speech by analyzing material vibrations. “The sound re-creation technique typically required cameras shooting at thousands of frames per second,” writes Morisy.

In a piece about potential global catastrophes, Sarah Gray of Salon highlights new research from Prof. Colette Heald that indicates future global food production is threatened by climate change and air pollution. The study found that the impacts of climate change and ozone pollution on crop production could cause malnutrition rates to rise significantly in developing countries in the coming decades.

The Guardian highlights new MIT findings on the impact of climate change and ozone pollution on global food supply. The Guardian reports that as the effect of ozone pollution on crops varies, “pollution-control measures could play a major role in determining outcomes."

Eliene Augenbraun of CBS News examines MIT findings on the impact of climate change and pollution on crops. Prof. Colette Heald says the study explored climate and ozone effects “because we thought this was an important contrast to draw, and because these effects are better quantified.”

Jane Porter writes for Fortune about WiTricity, an MIT spinout focused on the development of wireless power-transfer technology. By using vibrational frequencies, electricity can be transferred over distances of up to four feet.

Greenwire reporter Amanda Peterka examines the new MIT study showing that ozone pollution could increase the impact of climate change on food supply. “The study warns that the interplay between climate change and ozone could stand in the way of meeting an expected 50 percent increase in global food demand between 2010 and 2050,” Peterka writes. 

Writing for Reuters, Megan Rowling reports on findings from a new MIT study that finds rising temperatures associated with climate change, coupled with ozone pollution, could increase damage to crops. The researchers found that curbing air pollution could ease projected declines in global food supplies.  

Huffington Post reporter Katherine Boehrer reports on a new study showing that ozone pollution may increase the impact of climate change on crops. “The study showed that climate change is likely to reduce crop yields at least 10 percent by 2050 from 2000 levels,” writes Boehrer. 

CNET reporter Stephen Beachman highlights the new robotic glove that adds two extra fingers to the human hand. The fingers are supposed to act and react like a natural extension of your hand and allow the user to pick up much larger and heaver than a normal human hand could, Beachman reports. 

Dietary changes can alter human gut bacteria, Mary Elizabeth Dallas reports in a U.S. News & World Report article on a new MIT study on the role of bacteria in the digestive tract. “These fluctuations could lead to monitoring systems that might help detect and ease flare-ups for people with certain chronic illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease),” Dallas writes. 

Wired reporter Nick Stockton reports on Prof. Pedro Reis’ work developing a morphable surface that could be used to increase the efficiency and speed of vehicles. The surface can, “wrinkle into a dimpled pattern similar to a golf ball’s, with similar aerodynamic properties.”

Wired reporter Margaret Rhodes writes about a new system developed by MIT researchers that uses drones as lighting assistants for photographs. The system operates by examining, “how much light is hitting the subject, and where the drone needs to move to adjust that light.”

Wired reporter Katie Collins writes about how a team of MIT scientists has discovered that the electricity produced by bouncing water droplets could be used to charge smart phones.