Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
September 2021
From ACM TechNews
Robots Scurry Through Underground Scavenger Hunt to Advance Technology
Eight teams directed robots through an underground scavenger hunt in the final segment of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subterranean Challenge.
From ACM TechNews
Finding the Needles in a Haystack of High-Dimensional Datasets
A new algorithm enables the smallest, most relevant subset of features to be selected from high-dimensional datasets.
From ACM TechNews
For Self-Driving Cars, the Hot New Technology Is Radar
Radar is one of the most popular new technologies for next-generation auto safety systems.
From ACM TechNews
Research Finds Security Flaws in Apps for Popular Smart Home Devices
Researchers discovered "critical cryptographic flaws" in the smartphone companion apps of 16 popular smart home devices.
From ACM TechNews
3D-Printed Vaccine Patch Offers Vaccination Without a Shot
Scientists have engineered a three-dimensionally-printed vaccine patch that offers more protection than a typical shot in the arm.
From ACM News
It's Not Easy to Control Police Use of Tech—Even With a Law
A key backer of a 2018 Oakland law to rein in tools like automated license plate readers says the city is not following the rules.
From ACM News
It's Time to Establish a Quantum Computing Strategy, Study Suggests
There's a critical mass of tech leaders interested in quantum computing, and current challenges to its widespread implementation are surmountable, says Classiq.
From ACM News
Scaffolding Robot Buttresses Tipping Construction Industry
Like few other sectors, construction is being inundated with robots and technology.
From ACM TechNews
How Greece Let in Tourists, Kept Out COVID-19
Researchers from multiple institutions collaborated on the development of an algorithm that can identify asymptomatic COVID-19 infections in travelers.
From ACM TechNews
Winged Microchip Smallest-Ever Human-Made Flying Structure
Flying microchips developed by engineers at Northwestern University could be used to monitor air pollution and airborne disease.
From ACM TechNews
SpaceX Satellite Signals Used Like GPS to Pinpoint Location on Earth
Researchers have developed a method for locating a position on Earth using signals broadcast by SpaceX's Starlink Internet service satellites.
From ACM TechNews
Federal Agencies Warn Companies to Be on Guard Against Prolific Ransomware Strain
U.S. federal agencies issued a joint alert warning companies to be on guard against the Conti ransomware variant.
From ACM TechNews
Physicists, Colleagues Offer Way to Control Qubits
A research team has developed new techniques for controlling qubits, which could help improve the accuracy of quantum computers.
From ACM News
SEC's Gensler Doesn't See Cryptos Lasting Long
Regulator says history of 'wildcat banking' in U.S. shows limited viability for private forms of money.
From ACM News
U.K. Publishes 10-Year Plan to Become 'A.I. Superpower'
The National AI Strategy includes a number of programs, reports and initiatives.
From ACM News
7 Revealing Ways AIs Fail
Neural networks can be disastrously brittle, forgetful, and surprisingly bad at math.
From ACM News
EU Announces Plans to Require All Mobile Devices to Use USB-C
Devices using only wireless charging would be exempt from the mandate.
From ACM News
Facebook Rolls Out News Feed Change That Blocks Watchdogs from Gathering Data
The tweak, which targets the code in accessibility features for visually impaired users, drew ire from researchers and those who monitor the platform
From ACM TechNews
Quantum Supremacy Achieved by More Complex Quantum Computer
A quantum computer completed a calculation in 4.2 hours that would have taken a classical system thousands of years.
From ACM TechNews
ML Method to Analyze Complex Scientific Data of Proteins
A new machine learning process enables faster analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance data than conventional methods, with comparable accuracy.
From ACM TechNews
Robot-Prepped Pizza at 800 Degrees
Autonomous pizza machine developer 800 Degrees Pizza has partnered with an international pizza brand to offer a fully automated pizza-making experience.
From ACM TechNews
Unique Amplifier Could Change Optical Communication
A new amplifier promises to revolutionize space and fiber communications.
From ACM News
CISA, FBI, NSA Warn of Increased Attacks Involving Conti Ransomware
From ACM News
2021 has Broken the Record for Zero-Day Hacking Attacks
The reasons why are complicated—and not all bad news.
From ACM News
Dialing the Trust Level Down to Zero
With cybersecurity under increasing attacks, experts say we should move to the Zero Trust Architecture.
From ACM News
2 Quantum Computing Breakthroughs Reveal the Technology's Commercial Potential
The research is significant because of the vast array of problems that can be addressed using Monte Carlo simulations.
From ACM News
Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Over Real Estate – Here's What That Means for Homebuyers
Real estate companies are increasingly using artificial intelligence in every aspect of buying, selling and home financing.
From ACM TechNews
Preparing for a Future Pandemic with AI
Artificial intelligence-driven investigations into COVID treatments are yielding insights for application to future pandemic responses.
From ACM TechNews
A Way to Solve the 'Hardest of the Hard' Computer Problems
Scientists have vastly accelerated the speed and efficiency of reservoir computing to tackle some of the most difficult information processing challenges.
From ACM TechNews
Quantum Computer Helps Design Better Quantum Computer
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China in Shanghai used a quantum computer to design a quantum bit that could power better quantum systems.