Attention: Deficit DisorderDeficit concerns, while legitimate, are crowding out policies for jobs and growth
Tue, 10/11/2011 - 12:42
There’s good news and bad news about the United States’ ongoing deficit and debt problems, according to high-profile economists who discussed the subject recently at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The good news is that the country’… Smarter Robot ArmsTwo algorithms allow autonomous robots to execute tasks more efficiently and predictably
Tue, 09/27/2011 - 12:27
Ask someone with her hands in her lap to pick up a coffee mug on the table she’s sitting at, and she’ll extract her hand from under the table and stretch her arm out toward the mug. Instruct an autonomous robot to perform the same feat, and it… A New Approach to Scratch ResistanceAnalysis by MIT researchers could lead to improved coatings using polymer-based nanocomposite materials
Thu, 08/25/2011 - 13:42
A new way to analyze how coatings of tiny particles alter the properties of transparent plastic could help researchers create lightweight windows with nearly the strength of glass. The same method could also lead to high-strength, scratch-… Location Matters in ManufacturingAs production shifts to the developing world, some advanced technologies may get lost in the shuffle
Fri, 07/29/2011 - 10:56
The migration of manufacturing from the United States to Asia could be having a significant impact on which advanced technologies are commercialized. Specifically, there is evidence that the shift in manufacturing is curtailing the development… GE Develops Manufacturing Tools to Improve Jet EnginesLean techniques keep the U.S. manufacturer competitive
Mon, 07/25/2011 - 13:10
Power turbines may be a mature business, but they are also a booming one. This year General Electric received record orders for jet engines, and because natural gas is currently cheap, worldwide demand is increasing for gas turbines used in power… Don’t (Always) Talk to Your NeighborSloan research advises companies to consider costs when investing in knowledge transfer between co-workers
Thu, 07/14/2011 - 12:03
Conventional wisdom among managers holds that employees helping each other can only be good for a company. Accordingly, firms spend money, time, and effort to promote what’s known as “knowledge transfer.” Policies range from the popular (e.g.,… Improving Recommendation SystemsTo predict customers’ preferences, compare similar products
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 11:45
Recommendation algorithms are a vital part of doing business on the Internet. They provide the basis of the targeted advertisements that account for most commercial sites’ revenues, and of services such as Pandora, the radio site that tailors song… When Things Go Wrong, Who’s to Blame?Turns out statistical know-how begins in infancy
Tue, 06/28/2011 - 15:56
For discussion: We’re all quality professionals, right? We understand root cause analysis, right? But do we understand it and act on it as well as when we were babies?--Quality Digest editors
If you flip a light switch and nothing happens, there are… Moving Inventions to the MarketplaceMIT/Harvard symposium seeks commercial opportunities for emerging technologies
Mon, 06/27/2011 - 05:00
Researchers from MIT and Harvard University crossed the Charles River to speak at a two-day symposium intended to bridge scientific innovation from both campuses with corporate interests from around the world. The symposium was held June 14–15, 2011… Cultivating Supply Chain ExpertsGlobe-spanning network offers graduate-level education and researched process improvement
Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:10
When a supply chain is firing on all cylinders—moving products, information, and money on schedule—it goes largely unnoticed, at least to the average consumer. You expect to find the supplies you need at the grocery store, and to receive your…
