Abstract: An apparatus includes a computer enclosure with a first fan, a second fan, a fan controller, and an input for receiving a signal from a microphone indicating an amount of noise at a target location. The apparatus further includes a first actuator coupled to the first fan for adjusting an axial position of the first fan, wherein the controller controls the operation of the first actuator to position the first fan to reduce the noise indicated by the signal from the microphone with the first and second fans in operation. The microphone senses sound pressure and the controller automatically adjusts a position of one or more fans using an actuator to change the distance from the fan to the microphone, which may be co-located with a user, to provide destructive interference at the location of the microphone.

Abstract: An approach is provided that determines that power from at least one battery cell in a multi-battery cell configuration is not required to power the device based on a power requirement of the device. The approach then regulates voltages from the battery cells so that first set of the battery cells is shunted (0 v) and a second set of the battery cells is regulated with the voltage being set to one or more voltage levels to satisfy the power requirement.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing video communication among two or more users is provided. According to an aspect, a method is provided. The method comprises receiving user input of a subject, wherein the user input was captured by a user interface, and determining an interpretation of the captured user input of the subject. The method further comprises determining one or more commands for moving an avatar of the subject based on the interpretation and using the one or more commands for controlling movement of the avatar presented via a computing device.

Abstract: An apparatus for rerouting electronic communication is disclosed. A method and computer program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a process and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to detect that a primary user is occupied, intercept an electronic communication directed to a portable communication device of the primary user, detect that a portable communication device of a trusted user on a list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user, and reroute the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, where the trusted user is determined to be in proximity with the primary user.

Abstract: A method includes sensing sound pressure at a specified location, and a controller automatically adjusting a position of one or more fans among a plurality of fans to reduce the sound pressure sensed at the specified location. The position of the one or more fans may, for example, be adjusted using an actuator to change the distance from the fan and the specified location, which may be a location of a user. Optionally, the method may further include the controller automatically adjusting a speed of one or more fans among the plurality of fans to reduce the sound pressure sensed at the specified location. The position and speed of one or more fans may be adjusted to provide destructive interference at the specified location.

Abstract: An approach is disclosed that detects that a unencrypted nonvolatile storage device, such as a hard disk drive, is failing. When the detection is made, the approach encrypts files stored on the nonvolatile storage device.

Abstract: An apparatus for rerouting electronic communication is disclosed. A method and computer program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a process and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to detect that a primary user is occupied, intercept an electronic communication directed to a portable communication device of the primary user, detect that a portable communication device of a trusted user on a list of one more trusted users is in proximity to the primary user, and reroute the electronic communication to the portable communication device of the trusted user, where the trusted user is determined to be in proximity with the primary user.

Abstract: A method and a computer program product for causing a processor to perform the method are provided. The method includes creating a virtual machine having a virtual machine identifier, and storing an entry in a temporary virtual machine registry, wherein the entry includes the virtual machine identifier, inactivity criteria for the virtual machine, and a responsive action for the virtual machine. The method further includes monitoring the activity of the virtual machine, and initiating the responsive action associated with the virtual machine in response to the virtual machine satisfying the inactivity criteria.

Abstract: A method includes sensing sound pressure at a specified location, and a controller automatically adjusting a position of one or more fans among a plurality of fans to reduce the sound pressure sensed at the specified location. The position of the one or more fans may, for example, be adjusted using an actuator to change the distance from the fan and the specified location, which may be a location of a user. Optionally, the method may further include the controller automatically adjusting a speed of one or more fans among the plurality of fans to reduce the sound pressure sensed at the specified location. The position and speed of one or more fans may be adjusted to provide destructive interference at the specified location.

Abstract: An amount of a hardware resource is assigned to a virtual machine (VM) to be run on a computing device including the hardware resource. The VM is caused to run on the computing device, and usage of the hardware resource by the VM is monitor. In response to determining that the usage of the hardware resource by the VM is less than a threshold, the amount of the hardware resource assigned to the VM is decreased.

Abstract: A method for unmuting a participant in a conference call is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request, from a second participant in a conference call, to unmute a voice communication device of a first participant in the conference call. The voice communication device of the first participant is muted prior to receiving the request to unmute. The method includes displaying, in response to receiving the request to unmute, an unmute indicator on an electronic display of the voice communication device of the first participant.

Abstract: A computing device detects performance of a cut/copy action of data within a user interface of the computing device. In response to detecting the performance of the cut/copy action, the computing device determines a likely destination at which pasting of the data will occur, based on an attribute of the data, and an action related to pasting of the data at the likely destination, based on the attribute of the data. The computing device performs the action.

Abstract: For dynamic application optimization, a method is disclosed that includes detecting, by use of a processor, an altered need for a resource in an executing application, identifying one or more configuration parameters for configuring an operating environment for the application, and applying the one or more configuration parameters in response to detecting the altered need.

Abstract: Generating automatic responses to requests for information, including: receiving, by a receiving device from a requesting device, a message; determining, in dependence upon content contained in the message and ambient data associated with the receiving device, whether to engage an automated response system; and responsive to determining to engage the automated response system, sending a response to the requesting device.

Abstract: Speech recognition of a stream of spoken utterances is initiated. Thereafter, a spoken utterance stop event to stop the speech recognition is detected, such as in in relation to the stream. The spoken utterance stop event is other than a pause or cessation in the stream of spoken utterances. In response to the spoken utterance stop event being detected, the speech recognition of the stream of spoken utterances is stopped, while the stream of spoken utterances continues. After stopping the speech recognition of the stream of spoken utterances has been stopped, an action is caused to be performed that corresponds to the spoken utterances from a beginning of the stream through and until the spoken utterance stop event.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, method, and program product are disclosed for sending messages to an unavailable device. The apparatus includes a status module that determines that a recipient device for a message is unavailable to receive the message. The apparatus includes a message module that sends the message to an intermediate device for storage until the recipient device is available to receive the message in response to determining that the recipient device is unavailable to receive the message. The apparatus includes a notification module that sends a notification to the recipient device that the message is available to access from the intermediate device.

Abstract: A system includes storage devices storing data units. Each data unit is stored on one of the storage devices. The system includes a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing computer-executable code. The processor executes the code to correlate workloads to the data units with respect to which of the workloads access which of the data units, and when the workloads access the data units. The processor executes the code to when the workloads access the data units and/or and on which of the storage devices the data units are stored, so that at given times the data units stored on a subset of the storage devices are not being accessed by any workload. The processor executes the code to, during each given time, power off the subset of the storage devices storing the data units that are not being accessed by any workload to conserve power.

Abstract: For validating information provided in a conversation, apparatus, methods, and program products are disclosed. The apparatus includes an association module that associates a plurality of items of caller identification data with a caller, an information module that identifies, using a speech recognition application, caller information from speech of the caller during a telephonic conversation with a call recipient, a comparison module that compares the plurality of items of caller identification data with the caller information, and a validation module that calculates a confidence score based on the comparison of the plurality of items of caller identification data with the caller information and presents, to the call recipient, the confidence score.

Abstract: A method and a computer program product for causing a processor to perform the method, where the method includes identifying a plurality of users participating in a multi-user communication, determining a topic of the multi-user communication, obtaining a topical expertise level relative to the topic for each of the identified users, ranking each user participating in the multi-user communication according to the topical expertise level for each user, and modifying, for one or more of the users, at least one parameter of participation in the multi-user communication according to the topical expertise rank of the one or more users.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for securing personally identifiable information include: identifying, present on a computer system, personally identifiable information (‘PII’); ranking the PII for a user identifiable by the PII; setting a time limit for the PII based on the rank; and responsive to the time limit elapsing, performing one or more actions to secure the PII.