Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
November 2019
From ACM TechNews
Self-Transforming Robot Blocks Jump, Spin, Flip, Identify Each Other
Researchers have developed self-assembling robotic cubes that can climb over and around one another, leap through the air, and roll across the ground.
From ACM News
Amazon Ring doorbells exposed home Wi-Fi passwords to hackers
Security researchers have discovered a vulnerability in Ring doorbells.
From ACM News
U.S. Charges Former Twitter Employees With Spying for Saudi Arabia
Justice Department says the two former employees accessed information about people who made posts critical of the Saudi royal family.
From ACM TechNews
Drones: Getting There Before an Ambulance
Researchers at Maimonides Medical Center found that medical drones carrying emergency supplies can reach 911 callers in New York City significantly faster than ambulances.
From ACM TechNews
Better Autonomous 'Reasoning' at Tricky Intersections
A new model can help autonomous vehicles determine when it is safe to proceed into traffic at intersections with obstructed views.
From ACM TechNews
RoboBee Powered by Soft Muscles
Researchers have developed a resilient RoboBee powered by soft artificial muscles that can experience collisions without being damaged.
From ACM TechNews
With Laser, Researchers Say They Can Hack Alexa, Google Home, Siri
Researchers used laser pointers and flashlights to effectively hijack digital assistants like Google Home, Amazon's Alexa, and Apple's Siri from hundreds of feet away.
From ACM TechNews
International Study Finds Major Inequities in Computer Literacy
A study by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement found inconsistent computer literacy rates across 12 countries.
From ACM News
NJ Governor Unveils Computer Science for All State Plan
The plan includes $2 million in state grants to help schools establish advanced, high-quality computer science programs.
From ACM News
Henry Kissinger Warns That AI Will Fundamentally Alter Human Consciousness
"I've become convinced that AI and the surrounding disciplines are going to bring a change in human consciousness, like the Enlightenment."
From ACM News
The Internet Is Getting Less Free
Election interference and government surveillance on social media are hurting Internet freedoms.
From ACM TechNews
This MIT Robot Wants to Use Your Reflexes to Walk and Balance
Researchers have developed a teleoperation system that allows a two-legged robot to "borrow" a human operator's physical skills to move with greater agility.
From ACM TechNews
Patent Office Seeks Help From AI
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is expanding its use of artificial intelligence to handle a steadily increasing number of patent applications, including an influx of AI-related filings.
From ACM TechNews
Military Algorithm Can Predict Illness 48 Hours Before Symptoms Show
Researchers in two U.S. Department of Defense units collaborated with a health IT company to develop a predictive algorithm that determines if a service member is falling ill up to 48 hours before any symptoms appear.
From ACM News
Future-proofing Security for the Coming Quantum Era
Cybersecurity majors are being trained to design hardware to be immune from software hacks.
From ACM TechNews
Parents are Concerned with School Apps Tracking Students from Classroom to Bathroom
Parents and students are grappling with the privacy implications of software increasingly used by U.S. schools, including apps that monitor students' movements—even to the bathroom.
From ACM TechNews
'Listening' to Engine Blades to Stop Failures, Disasters
Purdue University researchers have developed a monitoring system to identify the sound of rotor-forced response vibration, a common cause of premature blade malfunction in gas turbine engines.
From ACM TechNews
Russian Law Gives Government Sweeping Power Over Internet
Earlier this year, Russia passed a law that theoretically would allow the government to sequester the country's Internet from the rest of the world, as well as blocking any individual posts.
From ACM TechNews
Delivery Drones Could Land on Public Transport to Extend Their Range
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a computer program that plans deliveries by getting drones to piggyback on public transport for a range boost.
From ACM TechNews
'Tis the Season for Surge Robots as Holiday Hiring Finds Automation
Retailers and logistics operators are investing in collaborative robots (cobots) to accelerate warehouse operations in the holiday season.
From ACM TechNews
Artificial Networks Shed Light on Human Face Recognition
Researchers have gained new insights on humans' ability to recognize faces, through the use of deep neural networks.
From ACM News
Python Programming Language Creator Retires, Saying: 'It's Been an Amazing Ride'
The creator of the world's most popular programming language goes into retirement.
From ACM News
Technion to Award Harvey Prize
The Harvey Prize will be awarded this year in two fields: to three scientists who led a breakthrough in genetic modification, and to a Columbia University professor for his contribution to computer science.
From ACM TechNews
Mouse-Brain Model Maps Spread of Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease
Scientists have developed a computational mouse model that simulates the spread of the misfolded alpha-synuclein protein found in Parkinson's and other diseases throughout the brain.
From ACM TechNews
China Passes Cryptography Law
China has passed a cryptography statute, which will become law on Jan. 1, that regulates how government, businesses, and private citizens may use the technology.
From ACM TechNews
Deep Learning Is Making Video Game Characters Move Like Real People
Scientists used deep learning neural networks to help digital characters in video games move more realistically.
From ACM TechNews
Drones Help Map Iceland's Disappearing Glaciers
Researchers are using a three-dimensional process to compare old aerial photos with modern drone photography to track ice loss from Iceland’s largest glaciers.
From ACM TechNews
Volkswagen to Test Quantum Navigation App in Real Traffic
Volkswagen will test a quantum navigation app in Portugal next week, with plans to eventually incorporate its capabilities into automobiles.
From Communications of the ACM
Real-World Applications for Drones
Unmanned vehicles have a number of compelling real-world use cases.
From Communications of the ACM
Information Is Physics
Individual bits of information can have direct physical consequences.