OI places a lot of emphasis on work-life balance and well-being, so we’re encouraged to make time for walks or workouts during the day - especially when the sun finally comes out in the UK! For example, our teammate Scarlet George recently adopted a puppy (Bernie), who needs walks during the workday. We’re lucky enough to get photos of Bernie every once in a while. 12:30-5:00PMIn the afternoon, I usually continue working on my projects. On some days, I’ll have a virtual coffee with another team member, or a check-in meeting with my manager. I also sometimes help with OI’s social media accounts - follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay updated! 5:00PMThe workday typically ends around 5pm, and we’re encouraged to turn off work once we’ve finished our tasks. On Thursday evenings, we have team socials with various types of tea. The team socials have been a great way to get to know my team and stay connected. After work, team members also often attend webinars on topics in the field. Last week, a group of us attended a fascinating [...]

“The challenge for humanity now is how to decarbonize the global economy by 2050. To do that, we need a supercharged decade of energy innovation,” said Ernest J. Moniz, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems Emeritus, founding director of the MIT Energy Initiative, and a former U.S. secretary of energy, as he opened the MIT Forefront virtual event on April 21. “But we also need practical visionaries, in every economic sector, to develop new business models that allow them to remain profitable while achieving the zero-carbon emissions.” The event, “Addressing Climate and Sustainability through Technology, Policy, and Business Models,” was the third in the MIT Forefront series, which invites top minds from the worlds of science, industry, and policy to propose bold new answers to urgent global problems. Moniz moderated the event, and more than 12,000 people tuned in online. MIT and other universities play an important role in preparing the world’s best minds to take on big climate challenges and develop the technology needed to advance sustainability efforts, a point illustrated in the [...]

Chinese web giant Baidu has commenced operations of actual autonomous taxis on the streets of Beijing. The Apollo robo-taxi service only operates in Shougang Park, an area of the capital city that will host some events in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Just ten self-driving cars are rolling in this first commercial test of the tech. The cars are summoned with an Uber-like app and offer level-four autonomy – meaning they can independently drive in predefined geo-fenced areas, and allow humans to take the wheel if they feel it necessary. Baidu has shown off videos of the cars, which are medium-sized SUVs, stopping at pedestrian crossings at night, handling city and highway traffic with ease, and happily navigating tunnels. The tech titan claims its cars can change lanes all by themselves, park automatically, handle complex intersections, and drive in smoky conditions. Youtube Video The cars use LIDAR; cameras facing forward, backwards, and laterally; and radar using both ultrasound and millimetre wave radio. Reports from the Chinese media say the cars have not been troubled by pedestrians and have not posed [...]