Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
March 2020
From ACM TechNews
Texas A&M Researchers Develop Flooding Prediction Tool
Texas A&M University researchers have developed a flooding prediction algorithm that could potentially aid disaster management.
From ACM TechNews
Can YouTube Quiet Its Conspiracy Theorists?
While YouTube has reduced how often its algorithm recommends conspiracy theory-related videos, its progress in dealing with conspiracy theories has been uneven.
From ACM TechNews
The Tentacle Bot
Researchers have engineered an octopus-inspired soft robotic arm that grasps, moves, and manipulates objects of all shapes, sizes, and textures.
From ACM TechNews
The Rush to Deploy Robots in China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Chinese companies are scrambling to deploy robots and automation to take over for absent workers as the coronavirus spreads.
From ACM TechNews
How the Cloud Has Opened Doors for Hackers
Corporate transfers of operations to the cloud have elevated the threat of hacking.
From ACM News
Python Is More Popular Than Ever
Despite a rocky transition from Python 2 to Python 3, developers are still flocking to the programming language.
From ACM News
How One University Is Attracting Women to Computer Science
The percentage of women enrolling and graduating in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University has exceeded national averages for many years.
From ACM TechNews
This App Lets You See IoT Devices Around You and What Data They're Taking
Researchers have developed an app that will let users know what IoT technologies are operating in the immediate vicinity and what data they are collecting.
From ACM TechNews
Hacking Victims Are Uncovering Cyberattacks Faster; GDPR Is the Reason Why
GDPR has been linked to quicker cyberattack discovery times in the European Union.
From ACM TechNews
Machine Learning Method From Stanford, with Toyota Researchers, Could Supercharge Battery Development for Electric Vehicles
Researchers have developed a machine learning technique that reduces battery testing times by 98%—a step toward longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles.
From ACM News
NSF Accelerator is Open For Business
Attempting to harness the National Science Foundation’s 10 Big Ideas.
From ACM News
Carbonell Pioneered Use of Computers for Translation
The Distinguished Professor founded Carnegie Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute.
From ACM News
Oregon Engineer Makes History With New Traffic Light Timing Formula
Mats Jarlstrom was fined $500 for criticizing the timing of traffic lights. He sued, won, and now his formula will help traffic engineers around the world.
From ACM TechNews
In Coronavirus Fight, China Gives Citizens a Color Code, with Red Flags
To manage the coronavirus epidemic, China is requiring citizens to use software on their smartphones.
From ACM TechNews
How to Stop an Iceberg in Its Tracks
Researchers used a small robot to generate detailed three-dimensional maps of icebergs in Greenland's Sermilik Fjord.
From ACM TechNews
ICE Has Run Facial Recognition Searches on Millions of Maryland Drivers
Maryland officials said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have run facial recognition searches on millions of state driver's license photos without first obtaining state or court approval.
From ACM TechNews
Flaw in Billions of Wi-Fi Devices Left Communications Open to Eavesdropping
Researchers at Slovakian Internet security company ESET discovered that billions of devices are affected by a Wi-Fi vulnerability that allows nearby attackers to decrypt sensitive data.
From ACM TechNews
Physiotherapy Could be Done at Home Using VR
Researchers combined virtual reality with three-dimensional motion-capture technology to help patients perform physiotherapy exercises at home.
From ACM TechNews
AI is the Next Workplace Disrupter, and It's Coming for High-Skilled Jobs
A Brookings Institution study predicts the next wave of artificial intelligence-driven automation will target white-collar professions like marketing specialists, financial advisers, and computer programmers.
From ACM News
NeurIPS Requires AI Researchers to Account for Societal Impact and Financial Conflicts of Interest
"The norms around the societal consequences statements are not yet well established," NeurIPS 2020 communications chair Michael Littman said. "We expect them to take form over the next several conferences."
From Communications of the ACM
Algorithms to Harvest the Wind
Wake steering can help ever-larger turbines work together more efficiently on wind farms.
From Communications of the ACM
Can Nanosheet Transistors Keep Moore's Law Alive?
The technology promises to advance semiconductors and computing, but also introduces new questions and challenges.
From Communications of the ACM
Across the Language Barrier
Translation devices are getting better at making speech and text understandable in different languages.