Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
November 2015
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Teaching Robots How to Best Reject Orders From Humans
As robotics researchers seek to develop more sophisticated and natural means for humans to interact with robots, they are also seeking to develop systems that will ensure these interactions do not prove dangerous for the robots…
From ACM TechNews
10 Ways Advanced Computing Catalyzes Science
Numerous academic research projects around the U.S. and beyond rely on high-performance computing resources funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
From ACM TechNews
How to Pick Out a Face in the Crowd
A computer scientist from Sydney's University of Technology and colleagues have addressed the accuracy limitations of existing facial recognition technology. Researcher Dacheng Tao calls the team's new algorithm a major breakthrough…
From ACM TechNews
Tech's Big Gender Diversity Push, One Year In
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the representation of women in computer and mathematical operations is slightly worse than it was in 2010, and the same holds true for the field of software developers.…
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Confirm 'realistic' Answer to Quantum Network Puzzle
New research from the University of York supports the development of scalable and secure high-rate quantum networks.
From ACM News
A Tiny Pill Monitors Vital Signs from Deep Inside the Body
After testing all the pieces of a tiny pill-size device, Albert Swiston sent it on a unique journey: through the guts of six live Yorkshire pigs.
From ACM News
Leap-Second Decision Delayed By Eight Years
A leap second is gone in the blink of an eye. But a long-awaited decision on whether to ditch these occasional time insertions—which ensure that official time is synced with Earth's rotation—has been delayed for at least eight…
From ACM News
Attempt No Landing There? Yeah Right—We're Going to Europa
It is a nightmare glacier, tormented by the giant of our Solar System ever looming on its horizon.
From ACM News
Isis' Opsec Manual Reveals How It Handles Cybersecurity
In the wake of the Paris attacks, US government officials have been vocal in their condemnation of encryption, suggesting that US companies like Apple and Google have blood on their hands for refusing to give intelligence and…
From ACM News
Paris Attacks Fan Encryption Debate
White House and congressional staffers have asked Silicon Valley executives for new talks in Washington, D.C., to resolve a standoff over encrypted communication tools in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, people familiar…
From ACM News
Why New York Subway Lines Are Missing Countdown Clocks
There are people who stand every morning outside the Carroll Street station in Brooklyn staring dead-eyed into the middle distance.
From ACM TechNews
Angelica Lim: Flutist. Global Roboticist. Proud Master of a Robot Dalmatian Named Sparky.
Angelica Lim, a "developer on emotion recognition" on the Pepper robot at Aldebaran Robotics in Paris, specializes in building robots that can express emotions.
From ACM TechNews
The Machine-Vision Algorithm For Analyzing Children's Drawings
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne have developed a machine-vision algorithm that can objectively analyze children's drawings.
From ACM TechNews
Iran Demonstrates New Humanoid Robot Surena Iii
Researchers at Iran's University of Tehran have unveiled a humanoid robot that can walk, mimic a person's arm gestures, and stand on one foot while bending backwards.
From ACM TechNews
Bumblebees Are Teaching Smart Cars How to Drive
The U.S. National Science Foundation has allocated $300,000 to a Worcester Polytechnic Institute study of bumblebee navigation to help improve smart car safety.
From ACM TechNews
What Are Your Apps Hiding?
Researchers have found the user experience is largely unaffected by much of the data transferred between the top 500 free Google Android cellphone applications.
From ACM TechNews
Millions of Sensitive Records Exposed By Mobile Apps Leaking Back-End Credentials
Researchers have found thousands of mobile applications implement cloud-based, back-end services in a way that lets anyone access sensitive records created by users.
From ACM TechNews
AI Advances Make It Possible to Search, Shop With Images
The improvement of image-recognition software via deep learning could help usher in an era of image-based Web shopping/browsing.
From ACM TechNews
.s. Government Is Working on Making Implantable Memory Chips So We Don't Forget Anything Ever Again
The day when chips will be implanted into people's brains so they never forget anything is quickly becoming a reality.
From ACM TechNews
Incite Grants Awarded to 56 Computational Research Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science announced 56 projects aimed at addressing some of the world's most challenging scientific questions.
From ACM News
The Roots of Computing, in New York City
The seeds of Silicon Valley were harvested from the Big Apple.
From ACM TechNews
Nasa Gives MIT a Humanoid Robot to Develop Software For Future Space Missions
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is home to one of two university research groups to receive a 6-foot, 290-pound humanoid robot.
From ACM TechNews
White, Male Tech Image Hinders Progress, Poll Finds
A new survey found parents overwhelmingly think computer science skills will help their children find careers.
From ACM TechNews
Machine Vision Algorithm Learns to Recognize Hidden Facial Expressions
A new machine-vision algorithm can detect and identify microexpressions better than humans can.
From ACM TechNews
Studying Artificial 'consciousness' Could Pave the Way For Artificial Intelligence
Researchers from Japan and Australia are collaborating to assess whether robots or computers are capable of consciousness.
From ACM TechNews
Encrypted Messaging Apps Face New Scrutiny Over Possible Role in Paris Attacks
The Paris attacks have revived a debate between U.S. intelligence officials and Silicon Valley over opening a "back door" to decode encrypted data and conversations.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Develop System to Control Information Leaks From Smartphone Apps
Northeastern University researchers say they have found "extensive" leakage of users' information into network traffic from apps on mobile devices.
From ACM News
Communicating Supercomputer Science at Sc15
What is the greatest secret to connecting with the public and funders about computer science, even if its applications are clearly intended to transform and improve our lives?
From ACM TechNews
ta Work to Safeguard Cyber-Physical Systems Made With Legacy Subsystems
University of Texas at Arlington professor has received a $397,907 U.S. Air Force grant to develop formal methods for identifying cyber-physical system mismatches.
From ACM TechNews
Plant Scientists Tackle Big Data Problems at Workshop
The first Genomic and Open source Breeding Informatics Initiative workshop focused on developing a solution to handling big data in plant research programs.