Communications of the ACM
An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM TechNews
Boston Dynamics' Robodog Roams New Zealand Countryside for Sheep Herding
New Zealand software firm Rocos announced a partnership with Boston Dynamics to repurpose the latter's four-legged robotic dog for sheep herding.
From ACM TechNews
To Disinfect Police Car in a Pandemic, Software Cranks Up the Heat
Police departments in several U.S. cities are using updated software from Ford Motor that the automaker claims can kill the coronavirus.
From ACM TechNews
Multifunction E-Glasses Track the Brain, Eyes, and More
Researchers have developed prototype multifunctional e-glasses equipped with flexible electrodes near the ears and eyes.
From ACM TechNews
Algorithm Quickly Simulates Roll of Loaded Dice
Researchers have created an algorithm to produce random numbers with the best mix of speed, accuracy, and low memory currently available.
From ACM TechNews
Miss Your Office? Some Companies Are Building Virtual Replicas
Some employers are building virtual reproductions of their offices as online simulations for workers in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.
From ACM News
Eye-Catching Advances in Some AI Fields Not Real
Some improvements to artificial intelligence may come from tweaks rather than core innovations, and some of those gains may not exist at all.
From ACM News
How Automated Background Checks Freeze Out Renters
Algorithms that scan everything from terror watch lists to eviction records spit out flawed tenant screening reports. And almost nobody is watching.
From ACM TechNews
States Plead for Cybersecurity Funds as Hacking Threat Surges
Cash-strapped state and local governments are looking to Congress for funds to improve cybersecurity.
From ACM TechNews
Arizona Sues Google Over Allegations It Illegally Tracked Android Smartphone Users' Locations
Arizona has filed a lawsuit against Google for allegedly monitoring the locations of Android smartphone users even when such features purportedly were disabled,...
From ACM TechNews
Programming Languages: Developers Reveal What They Love, Loathe, and What Pays Best
A survey of developers found that that TypeScript has overtaken Python as the second most-preferred programming language.
From ACM TechNews
Gap Rushes in More Robots to Warehouses to Solve Virus Disruption
Gap Inc. is deploying warehouse robots more quickly amid the coronavirus pandemic.
From ACM TechNews
Supercomputer Model Simulations Reveal Cause of Neanderthal Extinction
Supercomputer models determined that competition between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens was likely responsible for the former's extinction in Eurasia.
From ACM News
Watson's Creator Wants to Teach AI a New Trick: Common Sense
David Ferrucci built a computer that mastered Jeopardy! Since then, he's been attacking a more challenging task.
From ACM TechNews
Cellphone Data Helps Track Mobility Patterns During Social Distancing
Researchers in Colorado used cellphone data to estimate how much Colorado residents have changed their behavior since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From ACM TechNews
Microsoft to Adapt Its Cloud Software for Healthcare Industry
Microsoft plans to launch a version of its cloud-based software to meet the needs of healthcare organizations.
From ACM TechNews
Verifying, Validating the Clinical Usefulness of Wearable Technology
An international team of engineers and researchers created a framework to assess and document the clinical usefulness of wearable computing devices.
From ACM TechNews
Technology Aids 911 Centers During COVID-19 Crisis
Dispatchers and first responders are using technology like live video streams, text messaging, and crowdsourced data to help 911 centers during the COVID-19 pandemic...
From ACM TechNews
Australian Researchers Record World's Fastest Internet Speed from Single Optical Chip
Researchers in Australia recorded the world's fastest Internet data speed from a single optical chip: 44.2 terabits per second.
From ACM News