The Economist reviews Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee’s latest book, which examines how new digital technologies will impact businesses. Brynjolfsson and McAfee, “believe that the latest phase of computers and the internet have created three shifts in how work happens.”
A study by MIT researchers shows that physical proximity can increase collaboration, reports Colleen Flaherty for Inside Higher Ed. The researchers examined thousands of papers and patents stemming from MIT research and found that “paper collaborators in the same workspace were three times more likely to work together than those located 400 meters apart.”
In an article for Forbes, Champaign Williams highlights a new app developed by two MIT graduates that, “connects millennials and college students in search of temporary housing with baby boomers who have excess space and could use the extra cash.”
Ta-Hsuan Ong of Lincoln Lab has developed a new monitoring device that could help train dogs tasked with detecting hidden explosives, according to The Economist. The device, “lets handlers check instantly whether an apparent mistake by a dog is a real one.”
Randall Stross of The Wall Street Journal examines the latest book by Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee, which explores technologies shaping the future of business. Stross writes that the, “authors present a splendid tutorial on things that are too new for most civilians to have gained a good understanding of—cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, distributed ledgers, and smart contracts.”
MIT alumni Noelle Marcus and Rachel Goor have created a housing app that matches graduate students looking for housing with homeowners looking for assistance with household chores, writes Colleen Flaherty for Inside Higher Ed. Marcus explains that the app could help the “aging population in the U.S. stay in their homes.”
In an article for Bloomberg, Peter Coy examines Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee’s latest book, which examines how smart machines might be integrated into the businesses of the future. Coy explains that the book is written for, “executives and entrepreneurs trying to make their way in this brave new world of driverless cars and hackathons.”
Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson and Principal Research Scientist Andrew McAfee speak with Tom Ashbrook of On Point about their new book, “Machine, Platform, Crowd.” Speaking about how much decision-making machines could be handling in the future, Brynjolfsson explains that “instead of having us humans try to tell the machines exactly what needs to be done, machines are learning on their own.”
Writing for The Boston Globe, Tim Logan writes that MIT filed a mixed-use zoning petition for the 14-acre Volpe site in Kendall Square. Logan notes that the Volpe redevelopment is part of a broader push by MIT to make Kendall Square, “feel more like a fully-fledged neighborhood.”
CNBC reporter Colleen DeBaise speaks with MIT alumna Tish Scolnik about what inspired her to pursue a career in STEM. "There are so many big problems that the world is facing," Scolnik says. "Many of them can't be solved by engineering — but many of them can."
A group of teenage girls from Los Angeles will present a solar powered tent designed to help combat homelessness during Lemelson-MIT’s EurekaFest, writes Sophie Gallagher for HuffPost. The tent comes equipped with “button-powered lights, two USB ports, a micro-USB port, and even plans for a sanitizing UVC light on a countdown timer,” explains Gallagher.
Prof. Phillip Sharp speaks with WBUR’s Asma Khalid about how the Greater Boston area became a hub for the biotech industry. "I think one of the transformative parts of what the next 20 years will hold is engineering with medicine and biotech," Sharp explains, adding that he thinks the Greater Boston area is “ahead of that story."
UPI reporter Brooks Hays writes about MIT spinout Open Water Power, which developed a battery that can be powered by seawater. Hays writes that the, “technology promises to extend the range and capabilities of unpiloted underwater vehicles, or UUVs.”
WBUR’s Rachel Zimmerman reports that Rendever, a startup launched by MIT graduates, has been awarded $40,000 by Pulse@MassChallenge, an accelerator aimed at supporting digital health startups. Rendever developed a virtual reality platform that aims to reduce social isolation and improve mental health, “through technology that allows seniors to relive and remember personal and family experiences and explore new environments.”
In an effort to make it easier for Americans, in particular Latinos, to save for retirement, MIT alumnus Carlos García launched Finhabits, a “bilingual digital platform that gives investment advice and teaches and encourages individuals how to invest and save for retirement,” writes Kristina Puga for CNBC.