Distinguished Materials Seminar Series

***Refreshments at 10:45am in Noyes lobby

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 fundamental challenges:

• Can implantable devices fully avoid inducing fibrous capsules over many years?
• Can wearable devices continuously image and stimulate deep organs over several days?

I will conclude the talk with a vision for the future convergence of humans and machines—especially between humans and AI.

More about the Speaker:

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 received the SES Rice Medal and Humboldt Research Award. He is an AIMBE Fellow and Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. Bioadhesive ultrasound, based on Zhao Lab's work published in Science, was named 2022 TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of the year. SanaHeal, based on Zhao Lab's work published in Nature, was awarded the 2023 Nature Spinoff Prize. Dr Zhao co-founded three startup companies–SanaHeal, Magnendo, and Sonologi – based on technologies developed in Zhao Lab. Over 15 patents from Zhao Lab have been licensed by companies and have contributed to FDA-approved and widely used medical devices.