Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Making driverless cars change lanes more like human drivers do

In the field of self-driving cars, algorithms for controlling lane changes are an important topic of study. But most existing lane-change algorithms have one of two drawbacks: Either they rely on detailed statistical models of the driving environment, which are difficult to assemble and too complex to analyze on the fly; or they're so simple that they can lead to impractically conservative decisions, such as never changing lanes at all.

Ingestible bacteria on a chip could help diagnose disease

Researchers have built an ingestible sensor equipped with genetically engineered bacteria that can diagnose bleeding in the stomach or other gastrointestinal problems. This "bacteria-on-a-chip" approach combines sensors made from living cells with ultra-low-power electronics that convert the bacterial response into a wireless signal that can be read by a smartphone.

The first printed inflatable material

The BMW Design Department in collaboration with MIT's Self-Assembly Laboratory have successfully developed printed inflatable material technologies that self-transform, adapt and morph from one state to another.

Ubiquitous Energy Inc

Ubiquitous Energy, spun out of MIT, has an established prototyping and pilot production facility for transparent PV devices in Silicon Valley. To date, it has raised roughly $25 million in private and venture funding, and formed partnerships with two of the largest global glass manufacturers.

Sharing the workplace with robots?

A research team is helping robot developers design machines less likely to injure the humans they work with. How? With their novel 'safety map'.

Self-driving cars for country roads

Uber's recent self-driving car fatality underscores the fact that the technology is still not ready for widespread adoption. One reason is that there aren't many places where self-driving cars can actually drive.

Guiding marine robots to optimal sampling sites

Observing the world's oceans is increasingly a mission assigned to autonomous underwater vehicles — marine robots that are designed to drift, drive, or glide through the ocean without any real-time input from human operators. Critical questions that AUVs can help to answer are where, when, and what to sample for the most informative data, and how to optimally reach sampling locations.

High yield syngas production from solar carbon dioxide recycling?

There is currently much debate about how to use photovoltaic solar power which is increasingly the lowest cost zero emission renewable source of electricity. It is particularly an issue when wasted due to the electricity not being needed at that time of day, batteries being an expensive, toxic, short lived, dangerous and unreliable option much of the time.

Personalized bio-inks boost healing potential of printable body tissue

Researchers have incorporated platelet-rich plasma into a bio-ink: a 3-D-printed mixture of cells and gel that could eventually become the stuff of skin grafts and regenerative tissue implants.

Saudi Arabia - progress in going entirely solar

As predicted in the IDTechEx report,"Off Grid Desalination: Zero Emission", Saudi Arabia is making steady progress in going entirely solar, zero emission with its desalination program, the largest in the world.

A robot autonomously assembles an IKEA chair

Scientists have developed a robot that can autonomously assemble an IKEA chair without interruption.

UbiQD

UbiQD operates in the quantum dot world - an industry which is growing rapidly because of displays. The company provides quantum dots and solar concentrators for transparent PV and agricultural applications. It was founded in 2014, and today holds a portfolio of 15 patents, 5 of which have been granted, as well as holding exclusive licenses from MIT and University of Washington.

Machine-learning system processes sounds like humans do

Using a machine-learning system known as a deep neural network, researchers have created the first model that can replicate human performance on auditory tasks such as identifying a musical genre.

A graphene roll-out

MIT engineers have developed a continuous manufacturing process that produces long strips of high-quality graphene.

New technology could wean the battery world off cobalt

Lithium-based batteries use more than 50 percent of all cobalt produced in the world. These batteries are in your cell phone, laptop and maybe even your car. But now, a research team has opened the door to using other metals in lithium-based batteries, and have built cathodes with 50 percent more lithium-storage capacity than conventional materials.

Computer system transcribes words users speak silently

Electrodes on the face and jaw pick up otherwise undetectable neuromuscular signals triggered by internal verbalizations.

Non Toxic Flexible Solar Reaps Rewards

NREL, Solliance, EPFL and IDTechEx speak on the various new forms of flexible photovoltaics at the conference "Off Grid Energy Independence" at the large "IDTechEx Show!" Berlin April 11-12 where exhibitors and other conference streams cover manufacturing technologies for flexible solar and more.

Jelly implant keeps an eye on body oxygen levels

Although smaller than a grain of rice, a phosphorescent hydrogel implant that monitors tissue oxygen could end amputations in people with blocked blood vessels or help athletes design better training programmes. The first of these tiny but durable devices has survived more than four years - implanted in the foot of the researchers who created it.

Computer searches telescope data for evidence of distant planets

As part of an effort to identify distant planets hospitable to life, NASA has established a crowdsourcing project in which volunteers search telescopic images for evidence of debris disks around stars, which are good indicators of exoplanets.

Paper-folding art inspires better bandages

Cutting kirigami-style slits in stretchy films could make for bandages, heat pads, and wearable electronics that adhere to flexible surfaces.