Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a reusable face mask that can be sterilized and worn over and over, while providing as much protection as an N95 mask. In fact, their new mask, made of silicon and rubber, incorporates N95 filters, but is made out of slick materials that are highly impermeable … Read more
Flying with middle seats filled during the COVID-19 pandemic poses a larger threat to passengers than plane crashes, according to new statistical research from an MIT professor. Using publicly available statistics on social distancing and COVID-19 transmission, Arnold Barnett, a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, calculated that the odds of COVID-19 transmission on … Read more
MIT has had to take offline a giant dataset that taught AI systems to assign ‘racist and misogynistic labels’ to people in images. The database, known as ’80 Million Tiny Images’, is a massive collection of photos with descriptive labels, used to teach machine learning models to identify images. But the system, developed at the … Read more
MIT researchers discover ‘anti-aging molecule’ that can heal DNA lesions linked with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive declines from aging Researchers identified the enzyme HDAC1 as helpful in healing DNA damage As people age, lesions form on parts of their DNA that lowers cognitive function HDAC1 stimulates production of another enzyme that can heal these lesions … Read more
MIT researchers develop wireless system that measures use of appliances likes microwaves and hair dryers so data can be used to optimize energy usage The system is called Sapple and uses radio waves and a smart e-meter It is being positioned as a way to increase energy savings A Wi-Fi like box can judge radio … Read more
A new research project from MIT could help save small islands and coastal towns threatened by rising sea levels around the world. Led by MIT researcher Skylar Tibbits, the project uses ocean waves to move sand onshore and could be used to add to the overall landmass of at-risk islands or coastal towns. In early … Read more
As a critical shortage of ventilators looms, New York Governor Andre Cuomo revealed Friday that the state will begin repurposing BiPAP machines to sustain severely ill coronavirus patients. Last week, the state resorted to converting anesthesia machines to supplement its stockpile of an estimated 6,500 ventilators. Thursday, Cuomo said he wasn’t sure if BiPAP machines … Read more
Plants feel pain too! Chemical engineers at MIT develop system to monitor when plants are distressed by embedding microscopic nanotubes into their leaves Chemical engineers tested a monitoring system for damaged plant cells They inject microscopic nanotubes into cells and measure hydrogen peroxide Plant cells release hydrogen peroxide as part of a natural damage response … Read more
MIT is using LASERS to make foldable face shields that can be stacked in mass quantities and shipped by the thousands to medical staff treating coronavirus patients MIT has developed a new way to manufacture thousands of face shields a day Lasers cut thousands of sheets of plastic at once into shapes for the masks The … Read more