School of Engineering

Edwin Olson '00, MEng '01, PhD '08 founded May Mobility, an autonomous vehicle company that uses human autonomous vehicle operators on its rides, reports Gus Alexiou for Forbes. “May Mobility is focused above all else on gradually building up the confidence of its riders and community stakeholders in the technology over the long-term,” explains Alexiou. “This may be especially true for certain more vulnerable sections of society such as the disability community where the need for more personalized and affordable forms of transportation is arguably greatest but so too is the requirement for robust safety and accessibility protocols.”

Researchers at MIT have developed tiny batteries capable of powering cell-sized robots that can “execute tasks as varied as targeting drug delivery inside the human body to checking pipelines for gas leaks,” reports Brian Heater for TechCrunch. “Despite the barely visible size, the researchers say the batteries can generate up to 1 volt, which can be used to power a sensor, circuit or even a moving actuator.”

Researchers at MIT and elsewhere have developed a new device “designed to detect the signs of an overdose and automatically deliver a dose of naloxone in as little as 10 seconds,” reports Tom Hawking for Popular Science. “The device [which has an associated smartphone app] also has a built-in alert system with auditory and tactile signals to wake the user, providing an alternative for those without smartphones or with uncharged devices,” says Prof. Giovanni Traverso. 

Interesting Engineering reporter Shubhangi Dua describes a new implantable device developed by MIT researchers that can detect and automatically treat an opioid overdose. “Having an automated robotic system that can sense and reverse opiate overdose could be transformational,” says Prof. Giovanni Traverso, “particularly for high-risk populations.” 

TechCrunch reporter Kyle Wiggers writes that MIT researchers have developed a new tool, called SigLLM, that uses large language models to flag problems in complex systems. In the future, SigLLM could be used to “help technicians flag potential problems in equipment like heavy machinery before they occur.” 

Elliot Schwartz ’89 PhD ’94 joins NPR’s Planet Money host Jeff Guo to discuss his work using data to help coaches and athletes make sense of the complicated judging systems used in many Olympic sports . “Seeing what happened to artistic swimming kind of makes you realize that the goal of these judging systems is not just about being objective. It's about motivating athletes to push the limits,” Guo says. 

In an excerpt from her new book, “The Mind’s Mirror: Risk and Reward in the Age of AI," Prof. Daniela Rus, director of CSAIL, addresses the fear surrounding new AI technologies, while also exploring AI’s vast potential. “New technologies undoubtedly disrupt existing jobs, but they also create entirely new industries, and the new roles needed to support them,” writes Rus.  

Prof. Olivier de Weck speaks with Boston 25’s Daniel Coates about the two NASA astronauts on the International Space Station awaiting news on when they will return to Earth due to concerns surrounding the capsule they traveled in. De Weck notes that during their wait, the astronauts are “being put to good work, they’re helping with experiments, they’re helping with the station, they’re in contact with their families, because there is fairly good internet connection on ISS."

Found Energy, co-founded by Peter Godart '15, SM '19, PHD '21, has developed a method for transforming aluminum scrap metal into energy, reports Hiawatha Bray for The Boston Globe. “The Found Energy system could replace fossil fuel with aluminum-generated hydrogen, a gas that burns at up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, but produces no waste carbon,” writes Bray. 

Plonts, a plant-based cheese company co-founded by Nathaniel Chu PhD '19, uses microbes to develop “nutritious, inexpensive and sustainable” cheese alternatives, reports Christine Hall for TechCrunch. Chu says “microbes, whether mold, bacteria or yeast, are important to create that flavor. The microbes themselves are tiny sacs of hundreds of different enzymes with many different combinations,” writes Hall. 

Writing for Nature, Marinko Sarunic and Cynthia Toth memorialize the life and work of Joseph A. Izatt PhD '91, who “had a special gift, and commitment, to reaching out and working with students and clinicians to create transformative technology." After undergraduate studies at MIT, Izatt focused on applied optics for his graduate work, with his mentors Prof. Michael Feld and Prof. James Fujimoto. 

Prof. Richard Binzel speaks with Washington Post reporter Lizette Ortega about Apophis – an asteroid estimated to fly past Earth in April 2029. “Nature is performing this once-per-several-thousand-years experiment for us,” says Binzel. “We have to figure out how to watch.”

Chanyeol Choi MS '19, PhD '21 and Subeen Pang MS '21, PhD '24 cofounded Linq, an AI startup that “helps hedge funds speed up their research into thousands of listed companies worldwide,” reports John Kang for Forbes. The company’s software “automates time-consuming equity research tasks, such as scanning for company announcements and news, building financial models and summarizing earnings reports and call transcripts,” explains Kang.