Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
December 2009
From ACM TechNews
Women Make Strides in Sciences
The University of Calgary's Women In Science and Engineering (WISE) program helps young women explore opportunities in underrepresented science and engineering fields. WISE president Searesh Munir says increasing the number…
From ACM TechNews
Andalusian Parliament Tests Documentary Search Engine Based on AI
A search engine that uses artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to find the most relevant parts in texts for a query has been developed by researchers at the University of Granada. A team led by professor Luis Miguel de Campos…
From ACM TechNews
A Report on the Discovery and Innovation in Health IT Workshop
The Discovery and Innovation in Health IT Workshop, cosponsored by the Computing Community Consortium (CCC), attempted to make further progress on productive collaboration between computing and healthcare.
From ACM News
First Computer Science Education Week Targets Issues in Teaching Computer Science
ACM and its partners are launching Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) to uncover and remedy the inadequacy of the nation's computer science (CS) education system at the K-12 level. While five of the top 10 fastest growing…
From ACM News
Cell Phone Technology Allows Deaf People To Communicate Via Sign Language
For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, cell phone use has largely been limited to text messaging. But technology is catching up: Cornell researchers and colleagues have created a real-time video compression scheme for cell…
From ACM TechNews
Conquering the Digital Data Overload
University of Utah computer scientist Juliana Freire is working to find data that could be missed in the quagmire of technology available, and to manage and integrate that data into knowledge people can actually use. Freire…
From ACM TechNews
Smart Grid Potential Gated By Broadband
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission recently held a field hearing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to discuss the role of the communications infrastructure in smart grid development and to gather information…
From ACM TechNews
Survivor Buddy Robot Becomes Interface to World
A joint project between Texas A&M and Stanford universities is developing a rescue robot capable of connecting trapped victims with the outside world. The robot, Survivor Buddy, provides Web-enabled search and rescue functions…
From ACM News
Researchers Demonstrate a Better Way for Computers to 'See'
Taking inspiration from genetic screening techniques, researchers from MIT and Harvard have demonstrated a way to build better artificial visual systems with the help of low-cost, high-performance graphics processing units typically…
From ACM News
Squeezing Web Sites Onto Cellphones
When a group of engineers at National Instruments Corp. modified a 1988 Oldsmobile so it could be controlled by an iPhone, the company was quick to share the project on its online forum for customers.
A spouse "might not care…From ACM News
Google, nesco Alliance Provides Virtual Visits to World Heritage Sites
Sites inscribed on the World Heritage List — the Palace of Versailles in France, the historic center of Prague in the Czech Republic and the old town of Cáceres in Spain, for example — can now be explored online, thanks to an…
From ACM TechNews
Nanowires Key to Future Transistors, Electronics
A major discovery by researchers at Purdue University; the University of California, Los Angeles; and IBM has brought the enablement of future ultrasmall transistors and more powerful computer chips using semiconducting nanowires…
From ACM TechNews
Research Group to Tackle Cybersecurity
Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Northrop Grumman have launched a five-year research effort to tackle the most complex problems in cybersecurity.
From ACM TechNews
As Robots Become More Common, Stanford Experts Consider the Legal Challenges
Stanford University researchers are exploring the potential legal ramifications of the growing use of robots in society. "I worry that . . . we'll have some high-profile cases that will turn the public against robots or chill…
From ACM TechNews
Darpa's Latest Challenge: Locate These 10 Balloons
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will award $40,000 to the first person who can complete a new social-networking challenge. DARPA wants to learn how people use social networks to solve a problem. "It's…
From ACM TechNews
New Algorithms For Computerized, Large-Scale Surveillance
The U.S. Air Force has adapted the advanced algebraic theories of mathematicians Myoung An and Richard Tolimieri to improve its object and target detection technology. The methodology was used to make reviewing photographic,…
From ACM TechNews
Scottish Supercomputer Fired p
The University of Strathclyde's new supercomputer, based on a Sun Microsystems kit, is now up and running. Strathclyde spent £500,000 on the high-performance computer (HPC), which has a performance peak of 13 teraflops and consists…
From ACM TechNews
H-1b Demand Spike May Signal Improving Outlook For Skilled Pros
Demand for H-1B visas has risen sharply over the past six to eight weeks, and the number of companies planning to increase college hiring is also rising, indicating that the job outlook for skilled professionals may be improving…
From ACM News
Iphones Are Musical Instruments in New Course and Ensemble
iPhones are being used as musical instruments in a new course at the University of Michigan. Course students — who design, build and play instruments on their smartphones — will perform at a public concert on Dec. 9.
From ICT Results
Smart Software to Simulate Future Financial Crises
Can economics better predict how banks will react to future credit crunches and their impact on the wider economy? Breakthrough simulation software by European researchers could hold the answers to this question and more.
From ACM News
NIST Develops Experimental Validation Tool for Cell Phone Forensics
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new technique aimed at improving the validation of a crime lab's cell phone forensics tools. "Hopefully, forensic examiners will use our…
From ACM News
ACM Names 47 Fellows for Innovations in Computing and IT
ACM has recognized 47 of its members for their contributions to computing and computer science that have contributed fundamental knowledge to the field and generated a broad range of innovations in industry, commerce, entertainment…
From ACM News
Nadya Mason: From Pirouettes to Carbon Nanotubes
In 1986, Nadya Mason competed as a gymnast in Houston, training with the legendary Bela Karolyi as a member of the U.S. National Team, hoping to make it to the Olympics. She never did. But, 23 years later, as Doctor Nadya Mason…
From ICT Results
Manufacturing, Reinvented
European researchers have created hardware and software that will enable companies to fundamentally revolutionize the way they manage and run their organization, moving manufacturing from hierarchical divisions to an increasingly…
From ACM TechNews
Tokyo Students Design a New Robotic Muscle Suit
Tokyo's University of Science demonstrated a new version of a robotic muscle suit during the recent International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo. The new wearable robotic suit is designed to provide assistance to the back only, and…
From ACM TechNews
Apache Moves Forward With Machine-Learning Project
Apache Lucene developers have released version 0.2 of the Apache Mahout project, which is an attempt to build libraries and algorithms needed to create machine-learning applications. Version 0.2 offers developers building blocks…
From ACM News
Linux Laptop Orchestra Gives Debut Performance
Scoot over winds and brass, strings and chorale – it is time to make room for the laptop orchestra. Virginia Tech's laptop group has started the first Linux-based orchestra in the world, with focus on ultra-affordable design.
From ACM News
Researchers Create Shape-Shifting Antennas
Research from North Carolina State University is revolutionizing the field of antenna design — creating shape-shifting antennas that open the door to a host of new uses in fields ranging from public safety to military deployment…
From ACM News
Expensive Toy
Japan Science and Technology Agency recently published a report on the cost of a "typical" giant mobile humanoid robot, specifically a warrior from the famous Gundam anime series — an 18-meter giant weighing 43.4 tons. The total…
From Communications of the ACM
Ready For a Web OS?
The hegemony of the traditional desktop operating system is starting to fracture with the emergence of a new generation of Web browsers that may finally herald the long-awaited convergence of Web and OS.