Communications of the ACM
Good Algorithms Make Good Neighbors
Many computer scientists doubted ad hoc methods would ever give way to a more general approach to finding nearest neighbors. … From Communications of the ACMAn edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM News
Why a 40-Year-Old SCOTUS Ruling Against Software Patents Still Matters Today
Forty years ago this week, in the case of Parker v. Flook, the US Supreme Court came close to banning software patents.
From ACM News
Pain Is Weird. Making Bionic Arms Feel Pain Is Even Weirder
Pain is an indispensable tool for survival.
From ACM TechNews
MIT Engineers Build Smart Power Outlet
A new smart power outlet can analyze electrical current usage from single or multiple outlets.
From ACM TechNews
'E-Dermis' Brings Sense of Touch, Pain to Prosthetic Hands
A team of engineers has created an electronic skin that, when layered on top of prosthetic hands, provides a real sense of touch through the fingertips.
From ACM TechNews
DNA Barcodes That Reliably Work: A Game-Changer for Biomedical Research
A new method invented by University of Texas at Austin researchers can correct the errors that creep into DNA barcodes.
From ACM TechNews
Realistic Avatars for the Virtual Zoo
An international team created an algorithm for generating lifelike three-dimensional avatars of four-legged animals solely from photos.
From ACM TechNews
Flying DRAGON Robot Transforms Itself to Squeeze Through Gaps
A new modular flying robot powered by ducted fans can change shape while in flight.
From ACM News
Finally, a Problem That Only Quantum Computers Will Ever Be Able to Solve
Early on in the study of quantum computers, computer scientists posed a question whose answer, they knew, would reveal something deep about the power of these futuristic...
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How to Control Robots with Brainwaves and Hand Gestures
Getting robots to do things isn't easy: Usually, scientists have to either explicitly program them or get them to understand how humans communicate via language...
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Martian Dust Storm Grows Global; Curiosity Captures Photos of Thickening Haze
A storm of tiny dust particles has engulfed much of Mars over the last two weeks and prompted NASA's Opportunity rover to suspend science operations.
From ACM TechNews
SDSC Comet and Machine Learning Simulates H2O With 'Unprecedented Accuracy'
Researchers used machine learning techniques and a supercomputer to develop the most accurate models to date for simulations of water.
From ACM TechNews
Game-Changing Finding Pushes 3D Printing to the Molecular Limit
Research at the University of Nottingham in the U.K. validates the ability to three-dimensionally print advanced materials with molecules that can switch states...
From ACM TechNews
Everything Big Data Claims to Know About You Could Be Wrong
A new study suggests big-data analysis may yield inaccurate representations about people.
From ACM TechNews
Microsoft Opens Access to Sensor Data on the HoloLens With 'Research Mode' Update
Microsoft has added a research mode to its HoloLens mixed-reality smartglasses so researchers and developers can access a broader spectrum of sensor-captured data...
From ACM News
Smart Thermometers Improve Flu Forecasting
Connecting electronic thermometers to smartphones permits the capture of instant, anonymized fever readings as leading indicators of influenza outbreaks.
From ACM TechNews
Chip Upgrade Helps Miniature Drones Navigate
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers reduced the size and power consumption of a computer chip they designed in 2017 to help honeybee-sized drones...
From ACM News
The Science Behind the World Cup Ball
Each World Cup, the sportswear giant Adidas designs an official ball to be used in the tournament.
From ACM TechNews
Inside Portland's Plan to Battle Traffic Deaths by Hanging 'Smartphones' on Street Lights
The city of Portland, OR, hopes to reduce traffic-related fatalities by equipping streetlights with sensors programmed to constantly detect speed and motion data...
From ACM TechNews
Digital Skills Gap Opens Up in English Schools
Fewer children in the U.K. are developing the digital skills that employers and government say are vital.
From ACM TechNews