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Innovation
Easing patient fears of radiation treatment, via virtual reality
Before their first dose of radiation, cancer patients can shadow another patient’s treatment and get a private behind-the-scenes tour with the team members via virtual reality.
Penn Vet’s Wildlife Futures Program launches habitat initiative for Philadelphia bats
With the bat population on a sharp decline since 2008, the Program collaborated with Penn Sustainability and Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services to develop bat boxes designed to mimic tree habitat and support the daily needs and overall health of bats.
Mastering physical contact with new algorithm for robots
Penn Engineers have developed an algorithm that makes previously impossible tasks possible for autonomous robots, like controlling the motion of a sliding object.
Racing to the future
Rahul Mangharam’s scaled-down, self-driving race cars are revamping engineering education at Penn.
The power of protons
Penn Medicine has treated more than 10,000 cancer patients at three proton therapy centers across the region, including the largest and busiest center in the world—while also leading the way in research to expand the healing potential of these positive particles.
How to learn about a world-class double bass? Give it a CT
Radiology experts at Penn Medicine applied imaging technology to centuries-old instruments to better understand how to care for masterworks built between the 17th and 19th centuries, and provide insights into building new ones.
Leading on health equity through innovative design
Penn Nursing held its second Summer Innovation Institute, with a focus on collaborative design and co-creation for health equity.
Fungi on the front lines against environmental injustice
The collective efforts of the Symbiotic Architecture for Environmental Justice research community are making former industrial sites reborn as vibrant community gardens, and safe, green spaces for children to play a reality.
2024 Sachs awardees
At a reception on April 30, The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation recognized the 21 projects awarded grants for the 2023-24 cycle, totaling $210,000 in support.
Kathleen Morrison on biodiversity and climate change
The faculty director of the Environmental Innovations Initiative, her research spans anthropology, archaeology, and paleoecology, involving the study of historic climates and environments, with a focus on South Asia.
In the News
The gap between open and closed AI models might be shrinking. Here’s why that matters
Ethan Mollick of the Wharton School says that even if there was no further progress in AI, it would likely take years before open systems are fully integrated with the world.
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The generative AI landscape shifted dramatically in 2024, study says
A survey by AI at Wharton finds that nearly three in four executives report using generative AI at least once a week, up from 37% in 2023.
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Anthropic’s AI tool does admin, browses the internet, and orders pizza. Here’s what to know about Claude ‘computer use’
Ethan Mollick of the Wharton School used Anthropic’s AI tool Claude to put together a lesson plan for high school students.
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Philly high schoolers created an app to help classmates understand student loans and plan how to pay for college
David Musto of the Wharton School and colleagues have guided West Philadelphia high schoolers to develop an online tool that weighs the financial risks of a college education against the potential rewards.
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Trump blames immigrant surge for housing crisis. Most economists disagree
Exequiel Hernandez of the Wharton School says that immigrants are the long-term solution to the housing crisis.
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What is digital transformation? Ongoing reinvention
Rahul Kapoor of the Wharton School says that digital transformation is about evaluating how a technology modality can be integrated into existing technologies and processes to find new sources of value.
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