MSE Seminar: “Merging Humans and Machines: Innovation and Translation”
March 26 at 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Abstract: Whereas human tissues and organs are mostly soft, wet, and bioactive, machines are commonly hard, dry, and abiotic. Merging humans and machines is of critical importance in addressing grand societal challenges in AI, health, environment, security, education, and happiness in life. However, merging humans and machines is extremely challenging due to their fundamentally contradictory properties. At the MIT Zhao Lab, we invent, study, and translate soft materials and systems to form long-term, robust, non-fibrotic, and high-bandwidth interfaces between humans and machines.
In this talk, I will discuss two examples of merging humans and machines by posing two challenges in science and technology:
• Can a wearable device continuously image deep organs throughout the body over several days?
• Can an implantable device avoid inducing a fibrous capsule over many years?
I will conclude the talk with a vision for the future convergence of humans and machines—especially between humans and AI.
Xuanhe Zhao
Uncas (1923) and Helen Whitaker Professor Professor of Mechanical Engineering - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Xuanhe Zhao is the Uncas and Helen Whitaker Professor at MIT. The mission of Zhao Lab is to advance science and technology between humans and machines to address grand societal challenges in health and sustainability. Dr. Zhao is a Humboldt Research Award winner, Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, and fellow ofAmerican Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering(AIMBE). He co-founded three startup companies based on technologies developed in Zhao Lab.Bioadhesive ultrasound, based on Zhao Lab’s work published inScience, was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of the year in 2022. SanaHeal Inc., based on Zhao Lab’s work published inNature, was awarded the 2023 Nature Spinoff Prize.Zhao Lab’s technologies have led to multiple FDA-approved and widely-used medical products such as barnacle-inspired hemostatic bioadhesives.