It’s easy to think that machine learning is a completely digital phenomenon, made possible by computers and algorithms that can mimic brain-like behaviors. But the first machines were analog and now, a small but growing body of research is showing that mechanical systems are capable of learning, too, say physicists at U-M.

A brain-computer interface, surgically placed in a research participant with paralysis in all four limbs, provided him an unprecedented level of control over a virtual quadcopter — just by thinking about moving his unresponsive fingers. Such groundbreaking technology could impact one’s ability to socialize, work, and enjoy recreational activities.

Cutting acid and base treatments from conventional desalination plants could save billions of dollars globally, making seawater a more affordable option for drinking water, say experts at U-M. A study describing the new technology has been published in Nature Water by engineers at Michigan and Rice University.

U-M’s Youth Policy Lab reports that families participating in the Healthy Moms Healthy Babies pilot project, a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services program that provides enhanced home visiting services to pregnant individuals and new parents, were less likely to cut meals due to cost, forgo essential utilities, or become homeless.

Scientists in the School for Environment and Sustainability are always seeking to influence water policy through research in the Great Lakes states. Recent work has produced actional recommendations to enhance resilience amid a changing climate.

The effort builds on a recently established research collaboration between the two institutions. A facility in Washtenaw County will house one computing center to support Los Alamos scientists and engineers focused on national security AI challenges. An adjacent academic computing center will align U-M faculty and students with Los Alamos researchers.

It’s easy to get caught up in doom and gloom, but glimmers of hope abound. LSA alums, faculty, students, and staff are creating positive change in the lives of people, animals, and the planet. They remind us that hope can come in many forms—even a bowl of yak butter.

The technology works faster and more accurately than current standard of care methods for tumor detection and could be generalized to other pediatric and adult brain tumor diagnoses. U-M neurosurgeons believe it could serve as a foundational model for guiding brain tumor surgery going forward.

The gift will create the Rogel and Blondy Center for Pancreatic Cancer. The center will provide support for clinical care and translational research, playing to the strengths of the Rogel Cancer Center’s team of 60 doctors and scientists from 10 departments already working in this area.