The Wire with Caeden

The MBIE has granted $1.1 million in funding to University of Canterbury researchers to develop a hyper-realistic virtual therapy avatar to help high-functioning people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to better recognise emotions and reduce ‘social blindness’.

University of Canterbury Engineering researchers Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase and Lecturer Dr Lui Holder-Pearson have been awarded $1.1 million in funding through a partnership between MBIE and Soul Machines, an AI company in Auckland.

Their project, titled ‘AI-driven Two-Way, Feedback Controlled Emotional Recognition Training for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder’ combines three key elements:                

Hyper-realistic and responsive avatars from Soul Machines Digital DNA Studio able to show detailed emotions           

Computer vision to read subject emotional state, reaction rates in integrated tasks, stress levels (via heartrate, etc.), focus, and attention, incorporating critical subject feedback

Programmed standard, accepted therapeutic methods (behind the avatar) to respond to measured subject behaviour/actions

These technologies enable a virtualised true two-way therapeutic session, where current emotion recognition software has no subject feedback (is only one-way).

Trishil spoke to Professor Geoff Chase about his research and it’s potential.

Yet another stacked show on this Fridays Wire:

Liam spoke to Shane Henderson on our regular city counselling segment about the Transporrt Emissions Reduction Pathway.

Liam also had a chat about the Human Rights Commission about their new conversion practices support services with the programmes manager,  Andre Afamasaga.

Liam also spoke to Kellie Addison from Kea New Zealand, as well as Act MP James McDowall, about human capital flight and where the debate of the brain drain is coming from. 

David has has a chat with Victoria Chen from Victoria University of Wellington on linguistics locating the beginnings of the Austronesian expansion.

As well as Stephen Judd from Fact Aotearoa on candidates bringing conspiracy theories into local elections. 

Yesterday the Human Rights Commission launched an expansion of their Conversion Practices Support Services.

The pre-existing programme now includes a proces where victims of conversion therapy cna work with the HRC to recieve a formal apology or financial support.

To learn more, Liam spoke to the programmes manager, Andre Afamasaga about the changes and what they mean.

More and more, New Zealand has seen candidates enter local elections being informed by conspiracy theories.

Groups that have spread misinformation about vaccines and the pandemic are entering their local races across the country.

The concerns are worsened thanks to the impacts of the anti-mandate parliament protests that hit the beehive earlier this year. 

David spoke to Stepehn Judd from FACT Aotearoa about those who are running and what it means for the country.