Whereas today's mainstream Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research addresses functional concerns – the needs of users, practical applications, and usability evaluation – Tangible Bits and Radical Atoms are driven by vision. This is because today's technologies will become obsolete in one year, and today's applications will be replaced in 10 years, but true visions – we believe – can last longer than 100 years.
Tangible Bits seeks to realize seamless interfaces between humans, digital information, and the physical environment by giving physical form to digital information, making bits directly manipulable and perceptible. Our goal is to invent new design media for artistic expression as well as for scientific analysis, taking advantage of the richness of human senses and skills – as developed through our lifetime of interaction with the physical world.
Radical Atoms takes a leap beyond Tangible Bits by assuming a hypothetical generation of materials that can change form and properties dynamically, becoming as reconfigurable as pixels on a screen. Radical Atoms is the future material that can transform its’ shape, conform to constraints, and inform the users of their affordances. Radical Atoms is a vision for the future of human-material interaction, in which all digital information has a physical manifestation so that we can interact directly with it.
I will present the trajectory of our vision-driven design research from Tangible Bits towards Radical Atoms, and a variety of interaction design projects that were presented and exhibited in Arts, Design, and Science communities.
Delayed optimization of environmental metrics in material design and industrial practice can lead to costly redesign and remediation needs. Higher-throughput environmental assessment tools and predictive strategies may help guide design for more economically and environmentally sustainable industrial process and practices. Plata will discuss specific examples from oil and gas development, nanomaterial synthesis, and recent efforts in improved polymers and plastics for environmental compatibility.
How do you take a patent from a place of weakness to a place of strength? How can you make sure that the right people are making the decisions about what to patent? Should patents be based on technology or is it more effective to approach patents from the business side? Join Professor Ben Roin to discuss strategies for creating powerful patents that will better protect your intellectual property.
As one of the most important drivers of digital transformation, Blockchain has disrupted accepted ways of doing business—and it’s here to stay. In our eight-week Blockchain: Disruptive Technology program, you’ll acquire expert insights into the fundamentals and practical applications of this new technology in order to reach new heights in your business ventures. You will further learn to apply this technology for maximum benefit in digital transformation projects.
Startup Lightning Talks I
Data Center and AI Energy Reduction Vijay N. Gadepally Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator, Supercomputing Center at MIT Lincoln Laboratory
The energy requirements of data centers in the United States is on the order of millions of tons of carbon dioxide annually, and the demand is forecasted to increase significantly over the coming years. In this presentation, Dr. Vijay Gadepally of MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory will share strategies for reducing energy use of high-performance computing applications, improving energy transparency, and incentivizing data center users to reduce their carbon footprint.