Sitting in traffic during rush hour is not just frustrating for drivers; it also adds unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Now a study by researchers at MIT could lead to better ways of programming a city’s stoplights to reduce delays, improve efficiency, and reduce emissions. The new findings are reported in a pair […]
Better Traffic Signals Can Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Analysis shows that smarter programming of stoplights could improve efficiency of urban traffic. Sitting in traffic during rush hour is not just frustrating for drivers; it also adds unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Now a study by researchers at MIT could lead to better ways of programming a city’s stoplights to reduce delays, […]
Helping Students Develop Their Product-Design Skills
At a packed and festive presentation in MIT’s Kresge Auditorium that felt more like a movie premiere than the conclusion of a serious class, last night dozens of students in eight teams presented the results of a semester of work in course 2.009 (Product Engineering Processes). Capturing this year’s theme of “Adventure,” the product prototypes […]
Custom Camouflage
If a bulky electrical box has to be placed at the edge of a public park, what’s the best way to conceal it so that it won’t detract from its surroundings? How about an air-conditioning condenser beside a historical building, or a portable toilet along a scenic trail? At the conference on Computer Vision and […]
Renewable Solar-Driven Carbon Nanotube Tech Promises to Store Energy Indefinitely
Image courtesy of Grossman/Kolpak A novel application of carbon nanotubes, developed by MIT researchers, shows promise as an innovative approach to storing solar energy for use whenever it’s needed. Storing the sun’s heat in chemical form — rather than converting it to electricity or storing the heat itself in a heavily insulated container — […]