Biology: the ultimate robotics
Sawyer Buckminster Fuller (S.B. 2000, S.M. 2003) studied mechanical engineering as an undergraduate at MIT because he was interested in robotics. While at MIT, he placed second in the 2.007 …
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Annalee Newitz: Where did io9 get its name?
But Seriously… Today is Annalee Newitz‘s birthday (well, it’s still today in the most relevant time zone – uh, hers not mine). Annalee has been writing about the intersection of …
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Letting robots manipulate cables
For humans, it can be challenging to manipulate thin flexible objects like ropes, wires, or cables. But if these problems are hard for humans, they are nearly impossible for robots. …
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Tracing the Sources of Today’s Russian Cyberthreat
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Beyond carrying all of our phone, text and internet communications, cyberspace is an active …
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Learning on the edge
Microcontrollers, miniature computers that can run simple commands, are the basis for billions of connected devices, from internet-of-things (IoT) devices to sensors in automobiles. But cheap, low-power microcontrollers have extremely …
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Ensuring AI works with the right dose of curiosity
It’s a dilemma as old as time. Friday night has rolled around, and you’re trying to pick a restaurant for dinner. Should you visit your most beloved watering hole or …
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Could a Machine Identify Suicidal Thoughts?
Despite decades of effort, it has proven frustratingly difficult to predict who is most at risk of dying by suicide. Relying on patients to reveal their intentions doesn’t work. Nearly …
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Clicks, Lies and Videotape
In April 2018 a new video of Barack Obama surfaced on the Internet. Against a backdrop that included both the American and presidential flags, it looked like many of his …
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Accelerating AI at the speed of light
Improved computing power and an exponential increase in data have helped fuel the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. But as AI systems become more sophisticated, they’ll need even more computational …
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Robot Chef Learns to Twirl Pizza Like a Pro
Pizza has a proud history of fueling late-night lab work, and scientists in Naples—an Italian city famous for its slice—have easy access to some of the world’s tastiest take-out. But …
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