From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's your host, Sam Colley.

From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's your host, Sam Colley.

Hello everyone. It's great to be here with you. And for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness and low vision.

Hello everyone. It's great to be here with you. And for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness and low vision.

We firmly believe that the blind innovation community should be afforded the same level of health care that a sighted individual is afforded, and it is simply unacceptable to deny the rights of a blind and low vision individual in independently and privately conducting a self-administered medical test, the same way that a sighted person would.

We firmly believe that the blind innovation community should be afforded the same level of health care that a sighted individual is afforded, and it is simply unacceptable to deny the rights of a blind and low vision individual in independently and privately conducting a self-administered medical test, the same way that a sighted person would.

Welcome to the program. This week I catch up with William Chen from the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash University. He's currently developing a mobile health care app for users who are blind or have low vision, and he's seeking expressions of interest for people to take part in some tests to evaluate the app and improve the user experience. That interview is coming up very shortly, so make sure to stick around to hear from William. And then after my chat with William, Steph from comes back with a Vision Australia comms wrap to give us an overview of what's coming up in the organisation around the country over the next month. I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. William Chen is an undergraduate student from the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash University. He's in his final year of studies at Monash, and as part of his research programme, he is exploring the independence, trust and privacy of individuals who are blind or have low vision towards digital health. Mobile apps, including the thia mobile app, which is currently in development and seeking input from users who are blind or have low vision in a series of evaluation tests. And to have a chat with me all about the app. I'm very pleased to be able to welcome William right now. William, welcome to Talking Vision. Thanks so much for your time.

Welcome to the program. This week I catch up with William Chen from the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash University. He's currently developing a mobile health care app for users who are blind or have low vision, and he's seeking expressions of interest for people to take part in some tests to evaluate the app and improve the user experience. That interview is coming up very shortly, so make sure to stick around to hear from William. And then after my chat with William, Steph from comes back with a Vision Australia comms wrap to give us an overview of what's coming up in the organisation around the country over the next month. I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. William Chen is an undergraduate student from the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash University. He's in his final year of studies at Monash, and as part of his research programme, he is exploring the independence, trust and privacy of individuals who are blind or have low vision towards digital health. Mobile apps, including the thia mobile app, which is currently in development and seeking input from users who are blind or have low vision in a series of evaluation tests. And to have a chat with me all about the app. I'm very pleased to be able to welcome William right now. William, welcome to Talking Vision. Thanks so much for your time.

Thank you for having me here, Sam. It's my.

Thank you for having me here, Sam. It's my.

Pleasure. Could you tell us a little bit more about the mobile app that you have developed as part of the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash?

Pleasure. Could you tell us a little bit more about the mobile app that you have developed as part of the Inclusive Technologies team at Monash?

Yes, of course. So this app is called Theia, named after the Greek goddess of vision and sight. And that was designed to help the blind and low vision community in independently conducting a self-administered medical test, as well as being able to independently interpret its results without the involvement of a site and individual in the process.

Yes, of course. So this app is called Theia, named after the Greek goddess of vision and sight. And that was designed to help the blind and low vision community in independently conducting a self-administered medical test, as well as being able to independently interpret its results without the involvement of a site and individual in the process.

What sparked your interest in creating this health care app, specifically with the blind and low vision community in mind?

What sparked your interest in creating this health care app, specifically with the blind and low vision community in mind?

That's a great question, Sam. So I'd say the main thing is equitable health care. So here, Monash, we really heard the voices of frustration from the blind innovation community around the inaccessibility of Covid rapid antigen tests during our last pandemic. And we thought something must be done for all current and future pandemics to prevent what a blind and low vision individual had to go through in order to conduct and interpret their self test results. We firmly believe that the blind innovation community should be afforded the same level of health care that a sighted individual is afforded, and it is simply unacceptable to deny the rights of a blind and low vision individual in independently and privately conducting a self-administered medical test the same way that a sighted person would. So the app started with Professor Patrick Cohen, who is the professor of neurology at the Alfred Hospital, coming into contact with my supervisor, Associate Professor Matthew Butler, who is an accessibility researcher from the Inclusive Technologies Lab. And Matt came to talk to me about the project, and I was extremely interested and hooked on to it. And things kind of took off from there, where I worked on it for an entire summer last year and carried it into this year, where we had the pleasure of inviting two additional researchers onto the team. So Doctor Anuradha and Doctor Omar and Anuradha Omar both have an interest in designing inclusive applications. And with this amazing team we have formed and we applied for a seed grant from the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, and we managed to receive $30,000 in funding. Now, though, it is not a lot of money, it is enough for us to kick start things and begin a process of potentially releasing this application to the public.

That's a great question, Sam. So I'd say the main thing is equitable health care. So here, Monash, we really heard the voices of frustration from the blind innovation community around the inaccessibility of Covid rapid antigen tests during our last pandemic. And we thought something must be done for all current and future pandemics to prevent what a blind and low vision individual had to go through in order to conduct and interpret their self test results. We firmly believe that the blind innovation community should be afforded the same level of health care that a sighted individual is afforded, and it is simply unacceptable to deny the rights of a blind and low vision individual in independently and privately conducting a self-administered medical test the same way that a sighted person would. So the app started with Professor Patrick Cohen, who is the professor of neurology at the Alfred Hospital, coming into contact with my supervisor, Associate Professor Matthew Butler, who is an accessibility researcher from the Inclusive Technologies Lab. And Matt came to talk to me about the project, and I was extremely interested and hooked on to it. And things kind of took off from there, where I worked on it for an entire summer last year and carried it into this year, where we had the pleasure of inviting two additional researchers onto the team. So Doctor Anuradha and Doctor Omar and Anuradha Omar both have an interest in designing inclusive applications. And with this amazing team we have formed and we applied for a seed grant from the Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, and we managed to receive $30,000 in funding. Now, though, it is not a lot of money, it is enough for us to kick start things and begin a process of potentially releasing this application to the public.

And will now's probably a good time to give the listeners a little bit of a recap of the tests that the app currently supports, but also looking ahead to the future. What are the future plans for tyre in including further tests for people to be able to use?

And will now's probably a good time to give the listeners a little bit of a recap of the tests that the app currently supports, but also looking ahead to the future. What are the future plans for tyre in including further tests for people to be able to use?

That's a great question. Thank you Sam. So currently the application only supports Covid rapid antigen tests. It is a proof of concept to see whether ideas and design philosophies are indeed aligned with the blind location community. Now we plan on including every single medical self-test that the TGA has approved and is on the market for Australian consumers. And on top of that, we also plan on including at home health screening kits such as bowel cancer screening kits or breast cancer screening kits, etc. and overall, we expect to include all of these tests within our application within the next year or two of releasing the application to the public.

That's a great question. Thank you Sam. So currently the application only supports Covid rapid antigen tests. It is a proof of concept to see whether ideas and design philosophies are indeed aligned with the blind location community. Now we plan on including every single medical self-test that the TGA has approved and is on the market for Australian consumers. And on top of that, we also plan on including at home health screening kits such as bowel cancer screening kits or breast cancer screening kits, etc. and overall, we expect to include all of these tests within our application within the next year or two of releasing the application to the public.

And William, what are the plans to roll out there to the general public?

And William, what are the plans to roll out there to the general public?

This is actually a very, very important question. So we recognise that there is an application that will interpret the test results of a self-administered medical test, which means that it will be regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia. So there will be quite a lengthy process in us getting regulatory approval. But it is definitely in our radar. And after we get TGA approval, that will be when we can expect the. To be available for the public.

This is actually a very, very important question. So we recognise that there is an application that will interpret the test results of a self-administered medical test, which means that it will be regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia. So there will be quite a lengthy process in us getting regulatory approval. But it is definitely in our radar. And after we get TGA approval, that will be when we can expect the. To be available for the public.

And, um, in terms of how people interpret these results and what sort of info they can obtain from the app, what sort of the process there, and what are the accessibility components that people can look forward to if they are using this app?

And, um, in terms of how people interpret these results and what sort of info they can obtain from the app, what sort of the process there, and what are the accessibility components that people can look forward to if they are using this app?

Yeah. So currently there will launch the phone's camera and automatically begin detecting a test within the frame. So the first step would be having the app understand what test a user is taking. So the Apple either attempt to recognize the packaging or the barcode. And from that point onwards, we've actually translated all the instructions from the manufacturer into accessible formats, because we realize that a lot of those instructions actually relied on graphical aids. And with the results section, the app will launch the phone's camera, and once it detects a test within the camera's frame, it will then decide whether the current frame is clear enough for it to take a photo, and then it repeats this process 60 times per second automatically, and will capture a total of 50 clear images of the test. And I guess this was one of the main accessibility components that we have within our app, because we recognize how difficult it is to take a photo of a rapid antigen test, or having to make sure that your camera is clear before you take the photo, which is all. We've automated the process with a couple of algorithms that we come up with, and after the 50 clear images are taken, the apple then select the shoppers and clear as five photos to be passed through our own AI model, which will then output a result with a confidence label so people will be able to tell what results they're getting without having to consult with a sighted individual. Now, on top of the AI model approach, we have also included a share with family or friends option, where the app will stitch the five clear images together, along with the manufacturer's interpretation instructions, so that you can share the image with anyone that you'd like within your contact list, or any application within your phone that you use the message, your family or friends. And our last option within our application is for the user to submit the images that the phone has taken to a group of annotators, and we plan on involving general practitioners and other medical professionals in looking at the results and then communicating the results through the applications. So there's really a wide range of interpretation methods for the results that someone can choose from in our application.

Yeah. So currently there will launch the phone's camera and automatically begin detecting a test within the frame. So the first step would be having the app understand what test a user is taking. So the Apple either attempt to recognize the packaging or the barcode. And from that point onwards, we've actually translated all the instructions from the manufacturer into accessible formats, because we realize that a lot of those instructions actually relied on graphical aids. And with the results section, the app will launch the phone's camera, and once it detects a test within the camera's frame, it will then decide whether the current frame is clear enough for it to take a photo, and then it repeats this process 60 times per second automatically, and will capture a total of 50 clear images of the test. And I guess this was one of the main accessibility components that we have within our app, because we recognize how difficult it is to take a photo of a rapid antigen test, or having to make sure that your camera is clear before you take the photo, which is all. We've automated the process with a couple of algorithms that we come up with, and after the 50 clear images are taken, the apple then select the shoppers and clear as five photos to be passed through our own AI model, which will then output a result with a confidence label so people will be able to tell what results they're getting without having to consult with a sighted individual. Now, on top of the AI model approach, we have also included a share with family or friends option, where the app will stitch the five clear images together, along with the manufacturer's interpretation instructions, so that you can share the image with anyone that you'd like within your contact list, or any application within your phone that you use the message, your family or friends. And our last option within our application is for the user to submit the images that the phone has taken to a group of annotators, and we plan on involving general practitioners and other medical professionals in looking at the results and then communicating the results through the applications. So there's really a wide range of interpretation methods for the results that someone can choose from in our application.

Is there a perhaps scope for the app to interface with screen readers or something like that on the user's phone, such as VoiceOver, where it can read the text back to them in real time? I don't know if that's sort of realistic or not. Has that been something that's been explored at any point?

Is there a perhaps scope for the app to interface with screen readers or something like that on the user's phone, such as VoiceOver, where it can read the text back to them in real time? I don't know if that's sort of realistic or not. Has that been something that's been explored at any point?

Yes, that was one of the main design guidelines that we followed during the initial design stages of our application. It currently, though, is only developed for the iOS platform. It 100% supports VoiceOver and every element is double triple check to ensure that it has the right accessibility labels and everything adheres to the wcaG guidelines.

Yes, that was one of the main design guidelines that we followed during the initial design stages of our application. It currently, though, is only developed for the iOS platform. It 100% supports VoiceOver and every element is double triple check to ensure that it has the right accessibility labels and everything adheres to the wcaG guidelines.

Today, you're seeking participants for an in-person evaluation session. So, um, could you provide some information for our listeners about the session, such as, you know, where it is, how long it'll go for and the reimbursement and all that sort of thing?

Today, you're seeking participants for an in-person evaluation session. So, um, could you provide some information for our listeners about the session, such as, you know, where it is, how long it'll go for and the reimbursement and all that sort of thing?

Yeah, of course. So we have reached the stage where we would really like to run some evaluation sessions in person to validate some of our design choices. So the evaluation sessions will indeed be in person, and it'll either be in Monash or I guess in the homes of the participant. If that's okay. The evaluation sessions will run for approximately 80 minutes, and there will be a $75 reimbursement. Now just a couple points I'd like to tag on. The evaluation session will not include the participant conducting an actual rapid antigen test. We have developed some mock tests that we have 3D printed so that it doesn't it will not collect any biological samples from the participant.

Yeah, of course. So we have reached the stage where we would really like to run some evaluation sessions in person to validate some of our design choices. So the evaluation sessions will indeed be in person, and it'll either be in Monash or I guess in the homes of the participant. If that's okay. The evaluation sessions will run for approximately 80 minutes, and there will be a $75 reimbursement. Now just a couple points I'd like to tag on. The evaluation session will not include the participant conducting an actual rapid antigen test. We have developed some mock tests that we have 3D printed so that it doesn't it will not collect any biological samples from the participant.

And that's definitely important info for listeners out there. And I guess that also puts quite a few people at ease. So that's great info to pass along for sure. Now, if people would like to register interest, or perhaps read the explanatory statement that you and your team have put together, where can they go to find those?

And that's definitely important info for listeners out there. And I guess that also puts quite a few people at ease. So that's great info to pass along for sure. Now, if people would like to register interest, or perhaps read the explanatory statement that you and your team have put together, where can they go to find those?

So we have our website which is Thiat guide. So that is t h e eye a dot guide. And if you worked on that website it'll redirect you to a Google form containing. The explanatory statement, as well as a form to register interest in participating in our valuation sessions. Now, alternatively, you could also email me which is William Chen, that is William chen@monash.edu to register your interest.

So we have our website which is Thiat guide. So that is t h e eye a dot guide. And if you worked on that website it'll redirect you to a Google form containing. The explanatory statement, as well as a form to register interest in participating in our valuation sessions. Now, alternatively, you could also email me which is William Chen, that is William chen@monash.edu to register your interest.

Okay. Perfect. Thank you so much William. And hopefully a lot of people do get in touch and um, give you some really vital information that will really help this app go out and help as many people out there who are blind or have low vision to access the health care tests that they need. So great initiative there. So I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Okay. Perfect. Thank you so much William. And hopefully a lot of people do get in touch and um, give you some really vital information that will really help this app go out and help as many people out there who are blind or have low vision to access the health care tests that they need. So great initiative there. So I look forward to hearing how it goes.

Thank you, Sam, and thank you so much for having me.

Thank you, Sam, and thank you so much for having me.

I've been speaking today with William Chen from the Inclusive Technology Team at Monash University, one of the developers of the Thayer Healthcare app for users who are blind or have low vision. I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on Vision Australia Radio, Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there with William Chen from the Inclusive Technologies team. If you missed any part of that conversation with William, I'd love to hear it again. Talking vision is available on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia library. You can also find the program on the Vision Australia Radio website at RVA radio.org. That's via radio or one word.org. There's been a lot happening over the past couple of weeks at Vision Australia. And of course, looking into the future into the month of April. And what better person to chat all about it than Stephanie Steinhoff Pineau from the communications team. Otherwise known as Steph from comms here for the regular comms wrap to tell us all about the latest stuff going on. Steph, welcome back to Talking Vision. Great to have you again.

I've been speaking today with William Chen from the Inclusive Technology Team at Monash University, one of the developers of the Thayer Healthcare app for users who are blind or have low vision. I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on Vision Australia Radio, Associated Stations of Reading Radio and the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there with William Chen from the Inclusive Technologies team. If you missed any part of that conversation with William, I'd love to hear it again. Talking vision is available on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia library. You can also find the program on the Vision Australia Radio website at RVA radio.org. That's via radio or one word.org. There's been a lot happening over the past couple of weeks at Vision Australia. And of course, looking into the future into the month of April. And what better person to chat all about it than Stephanie Steinhoff Pineau from the communications team. Otherwise known as Steph from comms here for the regular comms wrap to tell us all about the latest stuff going on. Steph, welcome back to Talking Vision. Great to have you again.

Thanks, Sam. It's great to be here again.

Thanks, Sam. It's great to be here again.

Now there's been a couple of exciting things going on in the world of Vision Australia over the last few weeks. So tell us a little bit about them.

Now there's been a couple of exciting things going on in the world of Vision Australia over the last few weeks. So tell us a little bit about them.

Yeah absolutely. So first up we cast a spotlight on our woodworking program that we run in Melbourne as well as Brisbane. So we actually had the ABC visit the team up in Brisbane. And really they put a focus on our woodworking team and how they're training people who are blind or have low vision to, yeah, take on woodworking as a possible career opportunity, which is great or just as a hobby. So look, the program currently has around six or so participants, but it is always looking to expand and yeah, it's an incredible program. And what it does, it just opens up another career pathway and and shows that really it's another possibility for someone who was blind or has low vision. And there shouldn't be any limitations on the type of career outcomes that they have. So it's a really exciting one, and we're really shown a light as well on the team who does the training too. So yeah, that was really exciting to have the ABC come and that should be running in the next couple of weeks on TV, as well as some features on their social media.

Yeah absolutely. So first up we cast a spotlight on our woodworking program that we run in Melbourne as well as Brisbane. So we actually had the ABC visit the team up in Brisbane. And really they put a focus on our woodworking team and how they're training people who are blind or have low vision to, yeah, take on woodworking as a possible career opportunity, which is great or just as a hobby. So look, the program currently has around six or so participants, but it is always looking to expand and yeah, it's an incredible program. And what it does, it just opens up another career pathway and and shows that really it's another possibility for someone who was blind or has low vision. And there shouldn't be any limitations on the type of career outcomes that they have. So it's a really exciting one, and we're really shown a light as well on the team who does the training too. So yeah, that was really exciting to have the ABC come and that should be running in the next couple of weeks on TV, as well as some features on their social media.

And tying in quite nicely with that. We've been involved with a few campaigns in terms of awareness of blindness and low vision in the wider community over various media. So tell us a little bit about that project there.

And tying in quite nicely with that. We've been involved with a few campaigns in terms of awareness of blindness and low vision in the wider community over various media. So tell us a little bit about that project there.

Yeah. Look, I think, um, low vision is a condition that it's so broad. Right. It, um, it really vision is such a spectrum and it's one that we've been really wanting to create more awareness around, about the vast kind of vision conditions out there and what everyday Aussies can be doing to ensure that they're being inclusive to people who are low vision or have low vision rather. So we created this campaign, The Pupil Project, and it's a set of six educational videos, short and sweet. The talent in these videos are actually low vision Aussies, so they did an incredible job acting in these videos, and we can't wait to see these launch from the 8th of April. They'll be launching on social media and then down the track on some out-of-home billboards as well across the country. So it'll be a national campaign and we just can't wait to, um, yes, challenge some common misconceptions about people living with low vision. And we'll go from there.

Yeah. Look, I think, um, low vision is a condition that it's so broad. Right. It, um, it really vision is such a spectrum and it's one that we've been really wanting to create more awareness around, about the vast kind of vision conditions out there and what everyday Aussies can be doing to ensure that they're being inclusive to people who are low vision or have low vision rather. So we created this campaign, The Pupil Project, and it's a set of six educational videos, short and sweet. The talent in these videos are actually low vision Aussies, so they did an incredible job acting in these videos, and we can't wait to see these launch from the 8th of April. They'll be launching on social media and then down the track on some out-of-home billboards as well across the country. So it'll be a national campaign and we just can't wait to, um, yes, challenge some common misconceptions about people living with low vision. And we'll go from there.

Yeah, it's really exciting to be involved in the early drafting of those campaigns and give my input on what does and doesn't work and what's really relevant, and matches up with my lived experience as somebody with low vision. So this campaign certainly something very close to my heart. So I'm really keen to see how those come out, and I'm sure they'll be fantastic and really important messages in there. Now, just this week coming up, we've got a couple of really cool things going on. So why don't you just tell us a little bit about them and how that's all going?

Yeah, it's really exciting to be involved in the early drafting of those campaigns and give my input on what does and doesn't work and what's really relevant, and matches up with my lived experience as somebody with low vision. So this campaign certainly something very close to my heart. So I'm really keen to see how those come out, and I'm sure they'll be fantastic and really important messages in there. Now, just this week coming up, we've got a couple of really cool things going on. So why don't you just tell us a little bit about them and how that's all going?

Yeah. So look, this Good Friday we do have our Bendigo Easter egg hunt taking place, which is at the Bendigo Easter Festival this year. We've been lucky to acquire 100,000 eggs, which is amazing. So local SES workers will be hiding those for the hunt. We do have our accessible hunt as well on this year, which is great. And look, it is an all ages or. All abilities haunt people from all walks of life, are encouraged to come in, get involved and yeah, take part in the Easter fun.

Yeah. So look, this Good Friday we do have our Bendigo Easter egg hunt taking place, which is at the Bendigo Easter Festival this year. We've been lucky to acquire 100,000 eggs, which is amazing. So local SES workers will be hiding those for the hunt. We do have our accessible hunt as well on this year, which is great. And look, it is an all ages or. All abilities haunt people from all walks of life, are encouraged to come in, get involved and yeah, take part in the Easter fun.

And Steph, there's a giving Day coming up to celebrate International Guide Dog Day later on in April. So tell us a little bit about that and the vital funds that'll go towards raising for seeing our dogs.

And Steph, there's a giving Day coming up to celebrate International Guide Dog Day later on in April. So tell us a little bit about that and the vital funds that'll go towards raising for seeing our dogs.

Yes. So 24th of April is International Guide Dogs Day. So we thought it. There's no better day to host a giving day to raise important funds that will go back to our CNI dogs programs. So the day we actually will be setting it up with a phone room at saying I dogs. So similar to, I guess like a Good Friday appeal. So we'll have our volunteers. Staff will have board members, uh, leaders from our executive team who'll be on the phones waiting as Aussies call in to make donations. So it'll be a really incredible day. We will potentially have some media coming down to cover the day as well. And yeah, it's a first for us, this kind of big production day and we can't wait to see the results of it.

Yes. So 24th of April is International Guide Dogs Day. So we thought it. There's no better day to host a giving day to raise important funds that will go back to our CNI dogs programs. So the day we actually will be setting it up with a phone room at saying I dogs. So similar to, I guess like a Good Friday appeal. So we'll have our volunteers. Staff will have board members, uh, leaders from our executive team who'll be on the phones waiting as Aussies call in to make donations. So it'll be a really incredible day. We will potentially have some media coming down to cover the day as well. And yeah, it's a first for us, this kind of big production day and we can't wait to see the results of it.

And um, also sunrise has got something really cool coming up.

And um, also sunrise has got something really cool coming up.

Yes. So this Thursday actually, we've got sunrise coming to seeing our dogs over at Kensington, which will be so exciting. So, um, Sam, Mac and the weather team will be broadcasting live from Kensington, and they'll just be highlighting just the incredible work that the team does. And we'll just be calling on compassionate Aussies to take on a puppy and become a puppy carer, as well as looking into other volunteer opportunities that we have. So yeah, that'll be exciting.

Yes. So this Thursday actually, we've got sunrise coming to seeing our dogs over at Kensington, which will be so exciting. So, um, Sam, Mac and the weather team will be broadcasting live from Kensington, and they'll just be highlighting just the incredible work that the team does. And we'll just be calling on compassionate Aussies to take on a puppy and become a puppy carer, as well as looking into other volunteer opportunities that we have. So yeah, that'll be exciting.

Well, certainly we'll be exciting. But something else really exciting is hundred K Your way, which we've heard a little bit about on the radio over the past little while, but tell us a little bit more about that and some exciting developments there.

Well, certainly we'll be exciting. But something else really exciting is hundred K Your way, which we've heard a little bit about on the radio over the past little while, but tell us a little bit more about that and some exciting developments there.

Things are heading up on the 1st of April. It will be kicking off and as you may know or may not know, we do have, um, Sarah Jones from Fox Footy. She was the first female sports presenter once upon a time and she's just incredible. She'll be our official or she is our official ambassador for 100 K your way, and she'll be choosing to run for the challenge.

Things are heading up on the 1st of April. It will be kicking off and as you may know or may not know, we do have, um, Sarah Jones from Fox Footy. She was the first female sports presenter once upon a time and she's just incredible. She'll be our official or she is our official ambassador for 100 K your way, and she'll be choosing to run for the challenge.

Yeah, we're hearing a lot about hundred k your way. And, um, that does of course run across the whole of April. There's quite a few teams going on here and there around the various departments and things at Vision Australia. So very exciting to see a lot of people getting involved. And of course, Sarah Jones as the ambassador. That's a huge win. So really keen to say how that all unfolds now Steph, and a bit of a change of pace. There's also in regional areas of Australia, very important work that the organisation is doing to ensure that people's eHealth is at its best. So tell us a little bit about the work that um, we're doing currently in, um, remote WA.

Yeah, we're hearing a lot about hundred k your way. And, um, that does of course run across the whole of April. There's quite a few teams going on here and there around the various departments and things at Vision Australia. So very exciting to see a lot of people getting involved. And of course, Sarah Jones as the ambassador. That's a huge win. So really keen to say how that all unfolds now Steph, and a bit of a change of pace. There's also in regional areas of Australia, very important work that the organisation is doing to ensure that people's eHealth is at its best. So tell us a little bit about the work that um, we're doing currently in, um, remote WA.

Yes. So in mid 2023, last year we established a partnership with Lions Outback Vision in Broome. And basically we actually have set up a um, specialist service for people who are blind or have low vision in the remote area of Broome and in WA, because we did find that a lot of First Nations people were lacking those services or access to vision services. And we do know the research does show that vision conditions are more prevalent among South First Nations communities. So it was really time that we set up a permanent kind of service before we had to kind of fly and fly out model, but something more concrete needed to be established. So now that it's all set up, we do have a client base that is growing over there. So yeah, we actually are just doing some media around that really just to actually spread the word that we are in Broome now, we're permanently in Broome. And you know, whoever needs our help can definitely contact us and we'll be there. So we've got one of our service providers, Renee there. And yeah, she's doing an incredible job and we're really excited to see more of this stuff. These types of services set up in remote and regional um, areas because they are needed.

Yes. So in mid 2023, last year we established a partnership with Lions Outback Vision in Broome. And basically we actually have set up a um, specialist service for people who are blind or have low vision in the remote area of Broome and in WA, because we did find that a lot of First Nations people were lacking those services or access to vision services. And we do know the research does show that vision conditions are more prevalent among South First Nations communities. So it was really time that we set up a permanent kind of service before we had to kind of fly and fly out model, but something more concrete needed to be established. So now that it's all set up, we do have a client base that is growing over there. So yeah, we actually are just doing some media around that really just to actually spread the word that we are in Broome now, we're permanently in Broome. And you know, whoever needs our help can definitely contact us and we'll be there. So we've got one of our service providers, Renee there. And yeah, she's doing an incredible job and we're really excited to see more of this stuff. These types of services set up in remote and regional um, areas because they are needed.

And it started off with Alice Springs where there for quite a bit, and it's great to hear that it has spread over to Broome now. So very keen to see how that all unfolds and um the positive eye health outcomes. That that can bring to the local communities there for sure. So very important work and really keen to see how that goes. Now Steph, thanks so much for your time today. I've been speaking today with Steph from the communications team at Vision Australia all about the latest happenings around the organisation. Steph, thanks so much for your time. As always. It was a pleasure to have you on the show again.

And it started off with Alice Springs where there for quite a bit, and it's great to hear that it has spread over to Broome now. So very keen to see how that all unfolds and um the positive eye health outcomes. That that can bring to the local communities there for sure. So very important work and really keen to see how that goes. Now Steph, thanks so much for your time today. I've been speaking today with Steph from the communications team at Vision Australia all about the latest happenings around the organisation. Steph, thanks so much for your time. As always. It was a pleasure to have you on the show again.

Thanks, Sam. Pleasure to be here. Thanks so much.

Thanks, Sam. Pleasure to be here. Thanks so much.

And now to wrap up with a little bit of news and information, and the Vision Australia library will be hosting a couple of events in conjunction with the Melbourne Writers Festival in early May on the 10th of May. In fact, Friday night at 6 p.m. we kick off with Toby Walsh Machines Behaving Badly. Join world leading artificial intelligence expert Toby Walsh as he examines the possibilities and perils of emerging AI technologies, from ChatGPT to facial recognition and self-driving cars. With Elizabeth McCarthy. The gathering pace of artificial intelligence, including the rollout of ChatGPT, has stunned the world this past year, fuelling duelling excitement and debate about its use here. From leading AI expert and machines behaving badly the morality of AI. Author Toby Walsh for a discussion about the ethical considerations and unexpected consequences that these new technologies pose. He chats with Elizabeth McCarthy about a range of issues, from concerns about the role chatbots may play in amplifying misinformation, to the ways in which AI is quietly improving life behind the scenes. That's Toby Walsh Machines Behaving Badly at 6 p.m. on the 10th of May. But following on from Toby that same night at 8 p.m. at the Vision Australia Library, we hear from Louise Milligan with Pheasants Nest. Award winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan discusses Pheasants Nest, her stunning debut literary thriller about an abducted reporter, in conversation with Mark Dupin. A stunning and surprising literary thriller with a gigantic heart. Pheasants nest is a novel about an abducted reporter told by award winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan. It's gained wide acclaim as a story as addictive as Gone Girl, but with a distinctive Australian voice and a crime novel that could only be written by a foreign journalists. So original, funny and true. Milligan discusses her thrilling debut with Mark Dupin That's Louise Milligan, Pheasants Nest, at 8 p.m. on the 10th of May at the Vision Australia Library. And if you'd like to book your ticket to either one of these events at the Vision Australia Library on the 10th of May, you can head to the Melbourne Writer's Festival website at mwv. Compu that's MWF. Com.au or you can of course head to the Vision Australia website with registration links and more information about each event in question@vision.org. That's Vision australia.org and that's all the time we have for today. You've been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the show together every week. And remember we love hearing from you. So please get in touch anytime on our email at Talking Vision. At Vision australia.org. That's talking vision or one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's Sam Cowley saying bye for now.

And now to wrap up with a little bit of news and information, and the Vision Australia library will be hosting a couple of events in conjunction with the Melbourne Writers Festival in early May on the 10th of May. In fact, Friday night at 6 p.m. we kick off with Toby Walsh Machines Behaving Badly. Join world leading artificial intelligence expert Toby Walsh as he examines the possibilities and perils of emerging AI technologies, from ChatGPT to facial recognition and self-driving cars. With Elizabeth McCarthy. The gathering pace of artificial intelligence, including the rollout of ChatGPT, has stunned the world this past year, fuelling duelling excitement and debate about its use here. From leading AI expert and machines behaving badly the morality of AI. Author Toby Walsh for a discussion about the ethical considerations and unexpected consequences that these new technologies pose. He chats with Elizabeth McCarthy about a range of issues, from concerns about the role chatbots may play in amplifying misinformation, to the ways in which AI is quietly improving life behind the scenes. That's Toby Walsh Machines Behaving Badly at 6 p.m. on the 10th of May. But following on from Toby that same night at 8 p.m. at the Vision Australia Library, we hear from Louise Milligan with Pheasants Nest. Award winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan discusses Pheasants Nest, her stunning debut literary thriller about an abducted reporter, in conversation with Mark Dupin. A stunning and surprising literary thriller with a gigantic heart. Pheasants nest is a novel about an abducted reporter told by award winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan. It's gained wide acclaim as a story as addictive as Gone Girl, but with a distinctive Australian voice and a crime novel that could only be written by a foreign journalists. So original, funny and true. Milligan discusses her thrilling debut with Mark Dupin That's Louise Milligan, Pheasants Nest, at 8 p.m. on the 10th of May at the Vision Australia Library. And if you'd like to book your ticket to either one of these events at the Vision Australia Library on the 10th of May, you can head to the Melbourne Writer's Festival website at mwv. Compu that's MWF. Com.au or you can of course head to the Vision Australia website with registration links and more information about each event in question@vision.org. That's Vision australia.org and that's all the time we have for today. You've been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the show together every week. And remember we love hearing from you. So please get in touch anytime on our email at Talking Vision. At Vision australia.org. That's talking vision or one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's Sam Cowley saying bye for now.

You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on one 308 4746. That's one 384 746 or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision Australia call.

You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on one 308 4746. That's one 384 746 or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision Australia call.