Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
October 2019
From ACM News
Google Claims a Quantum Breakthrough That Could Change Computing
Google said in a paper published Wednesday its quantum computer needed only minutes to perform a task that would take a supercomputer 10,000 years.
From ACM News
Geoffrey Charles Fox Recognized with 2019 ACM/IEEE Computer Society Ken Kennedy Award
Fox was recognized for "foundational contributions to parallel computing methodology, algorithms and software, data analysis, and their interface with broad classes of applications, and mentoring students at minority-serving …
From ACM TechNews
UTSA Study Warns of Security Gaps in Smart Bulbs
Researchers found many popular smart-light brands have security holes and could be prime targets for hackers.
From ACM TechNews
Is the Stethoscope Dying? High-Tech Rivals Pose Threat
New medical technologies competing with the two-century-old stethoscope include handheld devices that use ultrasound, artificial intelligence (AI), and smartphone apps.
From ACM TechNews
Soccer Team In Denmark Is Using Facial Recognition to Stop Unruly Fans
Brondby Stadium of Copenhagen, Denmark, is using one of Europe's first large-scale private facial recognition systems to catch those banned from the stadium as troublemakers.
From ACM TechNews
Haptic Arm Places Robotics Within Easy Reach
Researchers have created a robotic arm facilitating light, affordable, and accessible haptic force feedback.
From ACM TechNews
Microsoft's DreamWalker VR Turns Your Daily Commute Into Totally Different One
Microsoft researchers have designed virtual reality solutions to allow users to remain fully immersed in virtual environments, even when walking in real-life locations.
From ACM TechNews
UPS Strikes Agreements to Use Drones to Deliver Medical Supplies
United Parcel Service will use drones to deliver medical samples and supplies.
From ACM News
A Face-scanning Algorithm Increasingly Decides Whether You Deserve the Job
HireVue claims it uses artificial intelligence to decide who's best for a job. Outside experts call it 'profoundly disturbing.'
From ACM News
Driving Hate from The Internet: Noble or Futile?
From ACM TechNews
Kirigami Sensor Patch for Shoulders Could Improve Injury Recovery, Athletic Training
University of Michigan researchers have designed a sensor-equipped shoulder patch that measures one's functional range of motion.
From ACM TechNews
Oil, Gas Companies Turn to AI to Cut Costs
Oil and gas companies are investing in artificial intelligence to help automate operations, anticipate equipment malfunctions, boost fossil fuel production, and reduce costs.
From ACM TechNews
Almost Two-Thirds of Workers Say They Would Trust a Robot Over Their Manager
As many as 64% of workers would trust a robot over their manager, according to a new study, while more than 50% say they have already turned to a robot for advice instead of their manager.
From ACM News
This Guy Just Found a Faster Way to Multiply
Because the method you learned in middle school is ridiculously slow.
From ACM News
The Lines of Code That Changed Everything
Apollo 11, the JPEG, the first pop-up ad, and 33 other bits of software that have transformed our world.
From ACM News
50 Years after Internet Conception, Dark Side Stirs Fear
Kleinrock expressed particular interest in using blockchain technology to attach reputations to people or things online to provide a gauge of who or what to trust.
From ACM TechNews
Computer Models Show Clear Advantages in New Types of Wind Turbines
Researchers used computer modeling of fluid dynamics to determine that wind turbines with four rotors on one foundation have advantages over other designs.
From ACM TechNews
It's Never Been Easier to Avoid Walking. A Cargo-Carrying Robot Might Change That
Boston-based robotics firm Piaggio Fast Forward will soon deploy a bipedal wheeled robot that hauls owners' belongings as it follows behind them.
From ACM TechNews
Artificial Pancreas System Controls Blood Glucose Levels Better Than Current Technology
A study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health detailed the clinical trial of an artificial pancreas system that automatically monitors and regulates blood glucose levels.
From ACM TechNews
Artificial Skin Creates First Ticklish Devices
A new artificial skin-like interface can be used to augment devices like phones, wearables, and computers.
From ACM TechNews
DeepMind AI Beats Humans at Deciphering Damaged Ancient Greek Tablets
Researchers at DeepMind trained an artificial intelligence algorithm to guess missing words or characters from Greek inscriptions up to 2,600 years old.
From ACM TechNews
Silicon Valley Takes On Amazon's Cashierless 'Go' Stores
An area of San Francisco is emerging as a battleground to eliminate the traditional checkout process and reinvent the way consumers shop.
From ACM News
Mark Hurd, co-CEO of Oracle, Dies at 62
Hurd had taken a leave of absence from Oracle last month because of unspecified health reasons.
From ACM TechNews
Security Researchers Warn of Online Voting Risks
Security researchers warned Australia should not rely on any online voting system that lacks a thorough ballot-verification method, to ensure against fraudulent voting.
From ACM TechNews
Walmart, Mattel Lease 'Floors' in a Virtual Toy Store
Toy company Mattel and retailer Walmart are "leasing floors" in a virtual store.
From ACM TechNews
Bug in Python Script May Have Affected Hundreds of Studies
A coding error in a set of Python scripts often used for computational analysis of chemistry data yielded significantly different outcomes, depending on which operating system was used.
From ACM TechNews
Bike Designed with AI Breaks World Speed Records
A bicycle designed by a software applicaiton helped two competitors set the women's and men's world records for fastest human-powered vehicle last month.
From ACM TechNews
California Launches Earthquake Early Warning System
California has launched the first statewide earthquake warning system in the U.S.
From ACM TechNews
Quantum State of Single Electrons Controlled by 'Surfing' on Sound Waves
An international team used sound waves to control quantum information in one electron, an advance in creating efficient quantum computers built from semiconductors.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Use AI to Find Patterns Among Multitude of People, Cells
Researchers have developed a method of leveraging artificial intelligence neural networks to reveal larger patterns of activity of individual cells that come from several individuals.