A crash course in AI A crash course in AI Early this summer, some 75 faculty members across several Penn Schools attended a two-day program led by Bhuvnesh Jain, co-director of the Data Driven Discovery Initiative and Co-Chair of the University’s AI Council.
Speed and precision for medical imaging (Image: Sylvia Zhang) Speed and precision for medical imaging A new open-source algorithm dubbed “FireANTS” can be applied not just in medical research, but clinical practice as well. 2 min. read
Examining asthma with human lung-on-a-chip technology A bioengineered “asthma-on-a-chip” platform. (Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering)nocred Examining asthma with human lung-on-a-chip technology Researchers at Penn Engineering developed an ‘asthma-on-a-chip’ system that mimics the mechanical stresses experienced by human airways during an asthma attack. The innovation enables scientists to probe how unhealthy lung tissue responds to compression in ways previously impossible to observe directly in patients. 2 min. read
Tiny, knotted robots jump, fly, and plant seeds Jiarui Wang, a member of the Yang Lab, holds up one of these programmable knot robots with forceps showing how something not much bigger than a grain of rice can pack a serious punch in the world of soft, automated robotics.(Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering) Tiny, knotted robots jump, fly, and plant seeds Researchers at Penn Engineering have developed a tiny, soft robot using opposable materials that are capable of leaping meters into the air with flexibility, responsiveness, and programmability. 2 min. read
Helping robotic arms solve problems using tools Image: Sylvia Zhang Helping robotic arms solve problems using tools Penn engineers have developed VLMgineer, an AI framework that can design, adapt, and deploy tools in the real world. 2 min. read
Penn Engineering’s ‘Innovation & Impact’ podcast Penn Engineering’s ‘Innovation & Impact’ podcast “Innovation & Impact” is a monthly podcast from Penn’s School Engineering & Applied Science, hosted by Dean Vijay Kumar in conversation with leading global experts on the latest breakthroughs and innovations in science, technology and medicine.
Enabling robots to chart a better course Image: Francesco Scatena via Getty Images Enabling robots to chart a better course A novel, open-source system has the ability to streamline disaster recovery and parcel delivery by rapidly generating a smooth path plan that cuts travel time and avoids obstacles. 2 min. read
An AI tool to speed antibiotic discovery (From left) Co-authors Jacob R. Gardner, César de la Fuente and Marcelo Torres, holding a 3D-printed example of the kind of antibiotic peptide they generated using AI.(Image: Sylvia Zhang) An AI tool to speed antibiotic discovery APEX is an AI model that predicts whether or not a given peptide is likely to have antimicrobial properties. Now, APEXGo can identify antibiotic candidates with laboratory activity against disease-causing bacteria, simply by searching large datasets. 2 min. read
Qubits in the classroom Qubits in the classroom Thorlabs, a provider of optical equipment, has donated a suite of quantum teaching tools that allow Penn Engineering undergrads to experiment with the quantum properties of light.
SmartDJ lets users reshape audio experiences with simple words As a test, Yiduo Hao (left) recorded the sounds of spring in Philadelphia, then used SmartDJ to transform them into the sounds of a forest.(Image: Sylvia Zhang) SmartDJ lets users reshape audio experiences with simple words Penn Engineers have created an AI-powered audio editor specifically for stereo that responds to simple requests in everyday language. 2 min. read