Smart buildings ‘sense’ damage

As one of the top tech universities in the world, there's no doubt that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology houses some pretty darn intelligent people -- and now it seems that its buildings are getting a whole lot smarter, too. That's thanks to MIT researchers who have developed a computational model that analyzes ambient vibrations from surrounding environmental factors -- such as passing trucks -- and uses these insights to monitor for building damage or mechanical stress. So far, the research has been tested on MIT's 21-story Green Building, a concrete tower designed by noted architect I.M. Pei in the 1960s that happens to be the tallest building in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, the building was equipped with 36 accelerometers to monitor vibrations on different floors. These sensors essentially act as a central nervous system for the building.