Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
April 2010
From ACM News
Cell Phones That Protect Against Deadly Chemicals? Why Not?
The Cell-All initiative aims to equip cell phones with a sensor capable of detecting deadly chemicals and alerting the public of their danger.
From ACM News
Software Simulates Evacuation of 70,000 Avatars From E-Stadium
Simulation software will create a safe, virtual stadium where security teams can practice guiding 70,000 fans to safety.
From ACM News
Rampant Cheating Hurts China's Research Ambitions
Ghostwriting, plagiarizing or faking results is so rampant in Chinese academia that some experts worry it could hinder China's efforts to become a leader in science.
From ACM News
Franklin Institute Awards 2010 Benjamin Franklin Medal
The 2010 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science is presented to Shafrira Goldwasser for her fundamental contributions to the theoretical foundation of modern cryptography.
From ACM News
Math Goes to the Movies
The use of mathematics in cinematic special effects is described in the article "Crashing Waves, Awesome Explosions, Turbulent Smoke, and Beyond," which will appear in the May 2010 issue of the Notices of the AMS.
From ACM News
Stanford Researchers' Audi to Climb Pikes Peak Without a Driver
It can traverse rough terrain, accelerate quickly and negotiate sharp turns like other high-performance sports cars, but there's one thing that sets this Audi coupe apart: It doesn't need a driver.
The car, named Shelley, is…From ACM News
Visual Tricks Can Make Downloads Seem Quicker
Twiddling our thumbs while waiting for files to download is one of the great frustrations of our high-speed, technologically interconnected world. Computer scientists are unlikely to eliminate the waiting any time soon--but they've…
From ACM TechNews
New Software Design Technique Allows Programs to Run Faster
North Carolina State University researchers have developed a way for computer programs to run up to 20 percent faster and possibly incorporate new security measures.
From ACM TechNews
Can the Kremlin's Silicon Valley Succeed?
Russia has chosen a site and is finalizing plans to start a Silicon Valley-like innovation center near Moscow.
From ACM TechNews
Math Tutoring Software Reads Visual Clues
University of Massachusetts in Amherst researchers are testing a math tutoring program that uses a built-in camera to identify visual cues from the student user about what in the lesson is working.
From ACM TechNews
'big Data' Can Create Big Issues
Tech firms are approaching the challenge of mining "big data"—immense repositories of information generated by industry and government—by using predictive analytics software to detect trends and anticipate coming events.
From ACM TechNews
New Hiring Formula Values Math Pros
Silicon Valley technology firms are seeking employees with stronger backgrounds in statistics and machine learning, thanks to the advent of cloud computing.
From ACM TechNews
North Korean Red Star Operating System Details Emerge
Details have recently emerged about a homegrown North Korean computer operating system called Red Star.
From ICT Results
Light-Based Localization For Robotic Systems
Getting robotic systems to accurately detect moving and static objects remains an obstacle for more autonomous robots. One possible solution uses light beams for localization and mapping.
From ACM News
Battling Botnets With An Awesome Os
Two University of Illinois at Chicago computer scientists have won a $1.15 million National Science Foundation grant to develop a new kind of computer operating system that ratchets up security measures in ways not considered…
From ACM News
How Good Is Tiger? Mathematician Knows By Number
Just how much does Tiger Woods dominate professional golf? Mathematician Roland Minton can put a number on it.
From ACM News
Robotc2.0 Gives Students Cross-Platform Robot Programming
Robot programming is many students' first exposure to the world of computer programming. As with so much of the computing world, however, different robot platforms are generally incompatible. ROBOTC2.0, from Carnegie Mellon University's…
From ACM News
Engineers Design Antenna Pill That Signals It Has Been Swallowed
University of Florida engineering researchers have added a tiny microchip and digestible antenna to a standard pill capsule that automatically alerts doctors or loved ones when ingested.
From ACM TechNews
U.s. One Step Closer to Cyber Guards For Nation's Electric Grid
The bidding for a National Electric Sector Cyber Security Organization that would shield the U.S. electrical grid from cyberattacks was officially opened up by the U.S. Department of Energy.
From ACM TechNews
Diamond Chips to Make Meaner, Greener Electronics
Researchers at Japan's AIST have developed synthetic diamonds that could be used to make microchips capable of processing high-powered signals without requiring energy-wasting cooling systems.
From ACM News
Comcast Ruling Raises Questions on FCC Regulation
At first glance, Tuesday's federal court ruling on Comcast looked like a clean win for the cable giant and for competitors including Time Warner and AT&T. The court, after all, ruled that Comcast could regulate high-speed Internet…
From ACM News
niversities Perpetuate the Digital Divide, Study Finds
A new study by has found that students have unequal opportunities to learn about technology in high school and at home, which can affect their choice of major, academic experience, and sense of self as a scholar.
From ACM News
Science Center Receives $15 Million For Health It Research
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has received a $15 million stimulus grant to establish the National Center for Cognitive Informatics and Decision Making in Healthcare. The center will conduct research…
From ACM News
H.p. Says New Device Could Revolutionize Computer Chips
Hewlett-Packard scientists on Thursday will report advances demonstrating significant progress in the design of a new class of diminutive switches capable of replacing transistors as computer chips shrink toward the atomic scale…
From ACM News
Can We Make a Conscious Machine?
Challenges don't get much bigger than trying to create artificial consciousness. Some doubt if it can be done--or if it ever should. Bolder researchers are not put off, though. "We have to consider machine consciousness as aAntonio…
From ACM TechNews
Silicon Cockroaches, 'dirty' Ipv4 Addresses and Other Internet Oddities
A few surprising Internet trends were detailed at the recent IETF conference, including an expected flood of silicon cockroaches—Internet-linked devices that run free of human control.
From ACM TechNews
Computer-Enhanced Vision Adds a 'sixth Sense'
Engineers and scientists at the inaugural Augmented Human International Conference in France unveiled cutting-edge research on improving human perception with information from the Internet, customized databases, and biofeedback…
From ACM TechNews
After Google-China Dust-p, Cyberwar Emerges as a Threat
Recent cyberattacks against Google and other tech firms highlight concerns about adversaries' ability to launch a full-fledged cyberwar against the United States. Many believe the United States is already engaged in an undeclared…
From ACM TechNews
CM Student ses Skin as Input For Mobile Devices
A Carnegie Mellon student and Microsoft researchers have developed Skinput, technology that combines bio-acoustic sensors and machine-learning programs to enable people to use parts of the body as touchpads to control mobile…
From ACM TechNews
Daksh Is Cynosure of All Eyes
Scientists from India's Research and Development Establishment have developed Daksh, a robot designed to detect and dispose of hazardous objects.