acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

News


bg-corner

An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.


Is Your Toaster a Silent Recruit in a 'thingbot' Army?
From ACM News

Is Your Toaster a Silent Recruit in a 'thingbot' Army?

All kinds of gadgets, from toasters to sprinklers, fridges to domestic heating systems, are now boasting sensors, actuators and low-powered embedded chips.

Time Lords: The Clocks That Rule Our World
From ACM News

Time Lords: The Clocks That Rule Our World

Time is money—and never was this clearer than at 09:59:59.985 Eastern Time, on 3 June 2013.

Vint Cerf Warns of 'digital Dark Age'
From ACM TechNews

Vint Cerf Warns of 'digital Dark Age'

Former ACM president Vint Cerf worries a forthcoming "digital Dark Age" will leave behind mountains of data people will no longer be able to access. 

Taking the Robot Dog For a Walk
From ACM News

Taking the Robot Dog For a Walk

It's a video which is bound to go viral. Spot sets off down an office corridor, and then out into the open air.

The Invisible Network That Keeps the World Running
From ACM News

The Invisible Network That Keeps the World Running

It’s been just over 45 years since the Apollo Moon landings, and some would have it that we are failing to build big anymore; that we've since become too fascinated...

Not in Front of the Telly: Warning Over 'listening' Tv
From ACM News

Not in Front of the Telly: Warning Over 'listening' Tv

Samsung is warning customers about discussing personal information in front of their smart television set.

Lost Chunk of Pioneering EDSAC Computer Found
From ACM TechNews

Lost Chunk of Pioneering EDSAC Computer Found

An original part of one of the United Kingdom's pioneering computers has been donated to a project that is working to rebuild the machine. 

Coder Creates Smallest Chess Game For Computers
From ACM TechNews

Coder Creates Smallest Chess Game For Computers

French coder Olivier Poudade has created BootChess, which is only 487 bytes in size, and the code can run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux computers.

Out of Control AI Will Not Kill ­s, Believes Microsoft Research Chief
From ACM TechNews

Out of Control AI Will Not Kill ­s, Believes Microsoft Research Chief

Microsoft Research chief Eric Horvitz thinks Artificial Intelligence systems eventually could achieve consciousness, but he doubts they could become a threat to...

AI Will Not Kill ­s, Says Microsoft Research Chief
From ACM Opinion

AI Will Not Kill ­s, Says Microsoft Research Chief

Microsoft Research's chief has said he thinks artificial intelligence systems could achieve consciousness, but has played down the threat to human life.

Back-­p Brains: The Era of Digital Immortality
From ACM News

Back-­p Brains: The Era of Digital Immortality

A few months before she died, my grandmother made a decision.

The Daunting Challenge of Reporting on Cyberwar
From ACM News

The Daunting Challenge of Reporting on Cyberwar

The US and UK are soon to take part in cyber war games, testing each other out for when the inevitable real cyberwar kicks off.

The Hidden Ways Traffic Flows Around ­s
From ACM News

The Hidden Ways Traffic Flows Around ­s

Get in your car and drive.

Can the Government Ban Encryption?
From ACM News

Can the Government Ban Encryption?

Whenever the terrorist threat is increased, as it has been since the tragic events in Paris last week, so too are the calls from politicians to increase the powers...

Nasa to Hack Mars Rover Opportunity to Fix 'amnesia' Fault
From ACM TechNews

Nasa to Hack Mars Rover Opportunity to Fix 'amnesia' Fault

The Mars rover Opportunity is having memory problems that the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration will try to fix remotely. 

How to Design the Fighter Cockpit of Tomorrow
From ACM News

How to Design the Fighter Cockpit of Tomorrow

If you think your office needs a lick of paint and some new furniture, spare a thought for fighter pilots.

Are These the Five Craziest Space Missions?
From ACM Opinion

Are These the Five Craziest Space Missions?

The landing of the Philae Lander—on a comet travelling at 135,000km/h (84,000mph)—has been hailed as the start of a new chapter in space exploration.

The 12 Missions of Christmas
From ACM News

The 12 Missions of Christmas

In July 1965, Mariner 4 became the first space probe to send back pictures of another world from space. Fifty years on, not only do several spacecraft orbit the...

The Surprising ­ses of Games Controllers
From ACM News

The Surprising ­ses of Games Controllers

Games controllers can end up in the strangest places.

Food: The Rarely Seen Robots That Package What We Eat
From ACM News

Food: The Rarely Seen Robots That Package What We Eat

Last July, while touring a jelly bean factory, I came upon a startling sight.
Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account