The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) carries out numerous researches on almost all fields of science possible and has also provided accurate results. Owing to its constantly efficient performance, the institution has earned itself a reputation of being reliable in terms of information. We humans can predict a number of scenarios through long-term observation and accurate calculations but we fail to predict our own lives. A latest MIT research tries to fulfill this motive. The initial efforts for the same began four years ago. This technology is finally put to proper use which might help in attaining impressive results.
The research team at the Media Lab at MIT had developed a computer vision system four years ago. This system was capable of analyzing the street-level photos of urban neighborhoods. By doing so, experts can observe the safety of a neighborhood from a layman’s perspective. One needs constant observation in order to predict the factors causing urban change. The MIT research team at Harvard University have developed such a system for identifying the physical improvement or even deterioration of normal neighborhoods in five random American cities. According to the work report, this system has compared 1.6 million pairs of photos which were taken seven years apart.
The research team at the Media Lab at MIT had developed a computer vision system four years ago.
MIT research also covers social sciences
The pictures taken were compared to test numerous hypotheses which have been known as the causes of urban revitalization. Through this, the researchers are trying to find out if these causes are actually responsible for urban changes or not. This kind of a research will prove to be beneficial to pick the factors that cause improvement. It will also reduce the factors which result in deterioration. Researchers noticed that the factors which caused improvement included proximity to central business districts, the density of highly educated residents, initial safety, and physically attractive neighborhoods. The factors which lead to change are different than those we consider such as housing prices or basic income levels.
Cesar Hidalgo, a senior author on this MIT research paper stated that the perception that high income and education can drive urban changes in a positive manner turned out to be a hoarse. The Urban development gives more importance to skill than money or education. Another theory proved wrong was the belief that neighborhood with successful people will continue doing well. This is true to a certain extent. There are instances wherein averagely successful neighborhoods show more improvement than the already successful ones.
