Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
September 2015
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Employ Baxter Robot to Help the Blind
Robotics researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing assistive robots to help visually impaired travelers navigate the smart cities of the future.
From ACM TechNews
Mouth Guard Monitors Health Markers, Transmits Information Wirelessly to Smart Phone
A mouth guard developed by a team at the University of California, San Diego could be used to monitor patients continuously without invasive procedures.
From ACM TechNews
This Algorithm Can Create a New Van Gogh or Picasso in Just an Hour
German researchers have outlined a method of using deep learning to turn regular photographs into images in the style of great painters.
From ACM News
Digital Receipts Help Solve a Growing Paper Problem
Retailers explore alternatives to the increasingly lengthy paper receipt.
From ACM News
This Preschool Is For Robots
On the seventh floor of Berkeley's technology research hall, a bright blue and yellow plastic ray gun sits on a long table, along with wooden spoons, model planes, and a set of square and round pegs.
From ACM TechNews
I've Taught Computers to Paint Portraits — and How to Code
Falmouth University professor Simon Colton works with software that behaves in ways that would be deemed creative if observed in humans. In an interview, Colton describes his work with software which is programmed to make its…
From ACM News
Giant Study Poses Dna-Sharing Dilemma
After dozens of unsuccessful treatments, Eric Dishman started to suspect that his illness was due to something other than the rare kidney cancer he was diagnosed with in 1989.
From ACM News
Putin vs. the Internet: The Laws That Matter
A new law in force in Russia from Sept. 1 is intended to force foreign Internet firms to maintain local servers to handle data on Russian citizens.
From ACM TechNews
Is a Cambrian Explosion Coming For Robotics?
New technological developments are fomenting an explosion in the diversity and application of robotics.
From ACM TechNews
How Artificial Intelligence Can Fight Air Pollution in China
IBM is testing a prototype computer system capable of learning to predict the severity of air pollution in different parts of Beijing.
From ACM TechNews
Quantum 'spookiness' Passes Toughest Test Yet
The toughest test of quantum theory ever conducted has verified "spooky action at a distance" is inherent to the quantum domain.
From ACM TechNews
Tired of Memorizing Passwords? A Turing Award Winner Came p With This Algorithmic Trick
ACM A.M. Turing Award recipient Manuel Blum believes online passwords can be made more secure by creating what he calls "human computable" passwords.
From ACM TechNews
Google's Driverless Cars Run Into Problem: Cars With Drivers
Researchers are challenged by the fact that automated vehicles programmed to obey the law and traffic safety rules, may have trouble fitting in with autos driven by people.
From ACM News
Hundreds of 'black Hat' English Wikipedia Accounts Blocked Following Investigation
After weeks of investigation, volunteer editors on English Wikipedia announced that they blocked 381 user accounts for "black hat" editing.
From ACM News
Comet Hitchhiker Would Take Tour of Small Bodies
Catching a ride from one solar system body to another isn't easy. You have to figure out how to land your spacecraft safely and then get it on its way to the next destination.
From ACM TechNews
"molecular Tweeting" Could Hold the Key to Busting Superbugs
Researchers are using the metaphor of Twitter to help them better understand the ways communication among bacteria can lead to antibiotic resistance.
From ACM News
Facebook's New Spam-Killer Hints at the Future of Coding
Louis Brandy pauses before answering, needing some extra time to choose his words.
From ACM TechNews
IBM Is Working With Genci on Next-Gen Computers
IBM and France's GENCI high-performance computing agency will collaborate on an effort to accelerate the path to exascale computing.
From ACM TechNews
Microsoft Wants to Turn Your Phone Into a 3D Scanner
Microsoft is one of several technology companies that are developing ways to turn the typical smartphone into a three-dimensional camera.
From ACM TechNews
Special Deals + Social Media = Profit?
Offering special deals on social media networks is not always a win-win situation for consumers and business owners, according to researchers.
From ACM News
Pluto Snow Forecast Poses Atmospheric Conundrum
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft solved many mysteries about Pluto when it flew past the dwarf planet in July. But as mission controllers prepare to steer the probe to its next rendezvous, planetary scientists are working to understand…
From ACM News
.S. Developing Sanctions Against China Over Cyberthefts
The Obama administration is developing a package of unprecedented economic sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals who have benefited from their government's cybertheft of valuable U.S. trade secrets.
From Communications of the ACM
New News Aggregator Apps
How apps like Inkl and SmartNews are overcoming the challenges of aggregation to win over content publishers and users alike.
From Communications of the ACM
Split Second
The issue of whether to add a "leap second" to square the clock with the Earth's orbit pits time specialists against IT.
From Communications of the ACM
Sensing Emotions
How computer systems detect the internal emotional states of users.