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
Spies Can Eavesdrop by Watching a Light Bulb's Vibrations
Researchers have developed a long-distance eavesdropping method that exploits vibrations on the glass surface of a light bulb's interior.
From ACM TechNews
In Autonomous Russia, Tractor Drives You
Two Russian companies have partnered on an advanced autonomous driving system for agricultural vehicles.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Model the Health Benefits of Electric Cars, Find 'Large Improvement in Air Quality'
Researchers in Canada created computer simulations of the potential human health benefits of a large-scale transition to electric cars.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Turn to Wearable Tech in Race to Track Covid-19
Researchers are using wearable technologies that monitor fluctuations in biomarkers to collect real-time patient data, to try to track the spread of Covid-19.
From ACM News
Exit From the Covid-19 Lockdown: There's an App for That
The Dutch government wants every citizen to download an app for tracking and tracing potential Covid-19 infections, but the app does not yet exist.
From ACM TechNews
Electronic Nose Sniffs Out Perfectly Ripe Peaches for Harvest
Researchers have developed an electronic nose system to sniff out the ripest peaches for harvest.
From ACM TechNews
Coronavirus Makes AR's Potential a Reality for Chip Makers
The coronavirus pandemic has spurred the everyday use of augmented reality in semiconductor manufacturing and other industries.
From ACM News
Access Denied: Faulty Automated Background Checks Freeze Out Renters
Computer algorithms that scan everything from terror watch lists to eviction records spit out flawed tenant screening reports. And almost nobody is watching.
From ACM News
Microsoft Bans Police Face Recognition Sales as Big Tech Reacts to Protests
The announcement came a day after rival Amazon.com declared it was pausing police use of its "Rekognition" service for a year.
From ACM TechNews
Pandemic to Jumpstart Spending on Data Tools at Manufacturers
Chief information officers predict manufacturers will spend more on data management and analytics tools following the coronavirus pandemic.
From ACM News
Amazon Pauses Police Use of Its Facial Recognition Software
The company said it hoped the moratorium "might give Congress enough time to put in place appropriate rules" for the technology.
From ACM TechNews
With an Internet of Animals, Scientists Aim to Track, Save Wildlife
Sensors and other equipment aboard the International Space Station will be used to monitor wildlife, revolutionizing animal tracking.
From ACM TechNews
Training Agents to Walk with Purpose
A new classification algorithm for relational data is more accurate and orders of magnitude more efficient than previous methods.
From ACM News
IBM Will No Longer Offer, Develop, or Research Facial Recognition Technology
IBM's CEO says we should reevaluate selling the technology to law enforcement.
From ACM TechNews
Penn State Researchers Evaluate 2020 Census Data Privacy Changes
The U.S. Census Bureau has proposed using differential privacy as a new method to protect the identities of individuals when publishing public data.
From ACM TechNews
The Epic Battle Against Coronavirus Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories
Scientists worldwide are scrambling to track and counter the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus pandemic.
From ACM TechNews
Underwater Drones Join Hunt for Trillions in Mineral Riches Trapped on Ocean's Floor
The nascent seabed mining industry is using underwater drones to map the ocean floor in the hunt for precious minerals worth trillions.
From ACM TechNews
Colorblind Users Push Technology Designers to Use Signals Beyond Color
Colorblind users are pressing technology developers to redesign products to accommodate their disability.
From ACM TechNews
Encrypted Messaging App Signal Adds Facial Recognition Protection for Protesters
The Signal encrypted messaging app is introducing a blur tool to hide faces in photos before sharing them.
From ACM News