Things that think

We have entered a pivotal era in the evolution of technologies: everyday 'things' are beginning to comingle with digital systems. What used to be ordinary objects of day-to-day life, like clothing, furniture, tools, and toys, will become extraordinary things, seamlessly woven into global networks, infused and animated by sophisticated digital systems. What does it mean to embed digital computing and communication into things like shoes or kitchen appliances? What are the critical enabling elements, and what applications might result? Things That Think (TTT) is a major research thrust at the MIT Media Lab formed to address these questions. It engages over 50 researchers at MIT and approximately 50 industrial partners from around the world to explore notions of intelligence channelled through everyday things. This paper sketches our research mission, with an emphasis on the new infrastructure of everyday things.