Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
January 2011
From ACM News
'nanoscoops' Could Spark New Generation of Electric Automobile Batteries
New nanoengineered batteries developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute exhibit remarkable power density, charging more than 40 times faster than today's lithium-ion batteries.
From ACM News
Computers That See You and Keep Watch Over You
Hundreds of correctional officers from prisons across America descended last spring on a shuttered penitentiary in West Virginia for annual training exercises.
From ACM TechNews
The A.i. Revolution Is On
Artificial intelligence technology has evolved into a system that uses machine learning, huge data sets, complex sensors, and new algorithms to complete specific tasks. The systems are designed to master these tasks in ways…
From ACM TechNews
Computing on Multiple Graphic Cards Accelerates Numerical Simulations
The Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing and the University of Bonn have been chosen as an Nvidia CUDA research center. The researchers will focus on the development of paralleled multi-GPU software for…
From ACM TechNews
UPC Team Presents a System for Analyzing Information on WikiLeaks
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya researchers have developed DEX, a system for finding information on networks that is designed to complement Internet search engines.
From ACM TechNews
1,760 Playstation 3s Form New Supercomputer
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base recently unveiled a supercomputer, named the Condor Cluster, consisting of 1,760 Sony PlayStation 3s. The Condor Cluster is the 35th fastest supercomputer…
From ACM TechNews
Rules of Engagement For Cyberwars See Slow Progress
Rules of cyberwar engagement are lagging behind world powers' development of their cyberwarfare capabilities. Meanwhile, cyberwarfare funding continues to rise sharply, as does the potential of cyberarms to wreak havoc with…
From ACM News
Cassini Celebrates 10 Years Since Jupiter Encounter
Ten years ago, on Dec. 30, 2000, NASA's Cassini spacecraft made its closest approach to Jupiter on its way to orbiting Saturn. The main purpose was to use the gravity of the largest planet in our solar system to slingshot…
From ACM News
When Innovation, Too, Is Made in China
As a national strategy, China is trying to build an economy that relies on innovation rather than imitation.
From ACM News
pcoming Auction Will Offer Space-Race Artifacts
RR Auction of Amherst, NH, is offering at auction this month approximately 500 unique space-themed artifacts, featuring high-quality pieces spanning the early U.S. rocket program to the space shuttle era.
From ACM News
Intel's 2nd-Gen Chip Arrives, with Hollywood in Tow
Intel is officially announcing its next-generation processor tomorrow—and Hollywood is playing a big role.
From ACM News
Inside Higher Ed to Carry Series of Commentaries by Academics
Beginning Monday (January 3), the Inside Higher Ed website will begin carrying The Academic Minute, a series of daily 90-second commentaries by scholars speaking about research and other intellectual work taking place on college…
From Communications of the ACM
The Touchy Subject of Haptics
After more than 20 years of research and development, are haptic interfaces finally getting ready to enter the computing mainstream?
From Communications of the ACM
India's Elephantine Effort
An ambitious biometric ID project in the world's second most populous nation aims to relieve poverty, but faces many hurdles.
From Communications of the ACM
EMET Prize and Other Awards
Edward Felten, David Harel, Sarit Kraus and others are honored for their contributions to computer science, technology, and electronic freedom and innovation.
From Communications of the ACM
Nonlinear Systems Made Easy
Pablo Parrilo has discovered a new approach to convex optimization that creates order out of chaos in complex nonlinear systems.