Research Stories

	Self-powered sensor automatically harvests magnetic energy	A system designed at MIT could allow sensors to operate in remote settings, without batteries.
	Noninvasive technique reveals how cells’ gene expression changes over time	MIT researchers can now track a cell’s RNA expression to investigate long-term processes like cancer progression or embryonic development.
	Inhalable sensors could enable early lung cancer detection	The diagnostic, which requires only a simple urine test to read the results, could make lung cancer screening more accessible worldwide.
	Researchers 3D print components for a portable mass spectrometer	Lightweight and inexpensive, miniaturized mass filters are a key step toward portable mass spectrometers that could identify unknown chemicals in remote settings.
	Engineers develop a vibrating, ingestible capsule that might help treat obesity	Swallowing the device before a meal could create a sense of fullness, tricking the brain into thinking it’s time to stop eating.
	Satellite-based method measures carbon in peat bogs	The technique could enable restoration efforts and doesn’t require labor-intensive onsite sampling.
	Ingestible electronic device detects breathing depression in patients	The new sensor measures heart and breathing rate from patients with sleep apnea and could also be used to monitor people at risk of opioid overdose.
	A new ultrasound patch can measure how full your bladder is	The wearable device, designed to monitor bladder and kidney health, could be adapted for earlier diagnosis of cancers deep within the body.
	This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects	Computer vision enables contact-free 3D printing, letting engineers print with high-performance materials they couldn’t use before.
	New laser setup probes metamaterial structures with ultrafast pulses	The LIRAS technique could speed up the development of acoustic lenses, impact-resistant films, and other futuristic materials.