Research Highlights: A preliminary study combining a patent-applied, AI-powered algorithm with a high-speed, 5-to 30-second video of skin on the face and the palm of the hand detected if someone had high blood pressure as well as using a blood ...

What do Design Thinking and boxing have in common? Surprisingly, more than you might think. As an Experience designer who has been boxing recreationally for the past two and a half years, I have discovered surprising parallels between these seemingly unrelated practices. In this article,...

The post 3 Ways Boxing Has Made Me A Better Design Thinker appeared first on Design Sojourn. Please click above if you cannot see this post.

Heuristic evaluation is a powerful tool in UX design, offering a structured way to identify and address usability issues in interfaces. But what exactly does it entail, and how can designers use it to improve user experiences?

The NHLPA will form an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. NHLPA president Marty Walsh said Friday night that the CTE committee was unanimously approved at a union board meeting this summer. The former Boston mayor made the announcement after receiving an award at the annual gala for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which supports patients and families struggling with the symptoms of traumatic brain injuries.

Military service is difficult, dangerous, and demanding. But for some veterans, returning to civilian life can also be a challenge. Going from the structure of active duty—with its purpose-driven roles, full-throttle environment, and sense of camaraderie—to the relatively humdrum life of a civilian can be jarring, particularly for veterans who’ve experienced trauma during their service and may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Researchers at Boston University, including Dawne Vogt and Casey Taft—both professors of psychiatry in the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine—are utilizing a variety of data-backed strategies to support veterans struggling to adapt to their new normal lives. 

A commentary, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, calls for traumatic brain injury to be recognized as a chronic condition as are diabetes, asthma, depression and heart failure. To provide comprehensive care for traumatic brain injury throughout individuals' lifespans, the authors propose that coordinated care models they and others have developed, tested and applied to various populations—including older adults, individuals living with depression and post-intensive care unit survivors—be adapted to improve communication and integration between brain injury specialists—including physical medicine and rehabilitation clinicians—and primary care physicians, fostering better long-term patient care for traumatic brain injury survivors and more support for both patients and their families.

Today we release our first self-hosted Auphonic Speech Recognition Engine using the open-source Whisper model by OpenAI!
With Whisper, you can now integrate automatic speech recognition in 99 languages into your Auphonic audio post-production workflow, without creating an external account and without extra costs!

Whisper Speech Recognition in Auphonic

So far, Auphonic users had to choose one of our integrated external service providers (Wit.ai, Google Cloud Speech, Amazon Transcribe, Speechmatics) for speech recognition, so audio files were transferred to an external server, using external computing powers, that users had to pay for in their external accounts.

The new Auphonic Speech Recognition is using Whisper, which was published by OpenAI as an open-source project. Open-source means, the publicly shared GitHub repository contains a complete Whisper package including source code, examples, and research results.
However, automatic speech recognition is a very time and hardware-consuming process, that can be incredibly slow using a standard home computer without special GPUs. So we decided to integrate this service and offer you automatic speech recognition (ASR) by Whisper processed on our own hardware, just like any other Auphonic processing task, giving you quite some benefits:

• No external account is needed anymore to run ASR in Auphonic.
• Your data doesn't leave our Auphonic servers for ASR processing.
• No extra costs for external ASR services.
• Additional Auphonic pre- and post-processing for more accurate ASR, especially for Multitrack Productions.
• The quality of Whisper ASR is absolutely comparable to the “best” services in our comparison table.

How to use Whisper?

To use the Auphonic Whisper integration, you just have to create a production or preset as you are used to and select “Auphonic Whisper ASR” as “Service” in the section Speech Recognition.
This option will automatically appear for Beta and paying users. If you are a free user but want to try Whisper: please just ask for access!

When your Auphonic speech recognition is done, you can download your transcript in different formats and may edit or share your transcript with the Auphonic Transcript Editor.
For more details about all our integrated speech recognition services, please visit our Speech Recognition Help and watch this channel for Whisper updates – soon to come.

Why Beta?

We decided to launch Whisper for Beta and paying users only, as Whisper was just published end of September and there was not enough time to test every single use case sufficiently.
Another issue is the required computing power: for suitable scaling of the GPU infrastructure, we need a beta phase to test the service while we are monitoring the hardware usage, to make sure there are no server overloads.

Conclusion

Automatic speech recognition services are evolving very quickly, and we've seen major improvements over the past few years.
With Whisper, we can now perform speech recognition without extra costs on our own GPU hardware, no external services are required anymore.

Auphonic Whisper ASR is available for Beta and paying users now, free users can ask for Beta access.
You are very welcome to send us feedback (directly in the production interface or via email), whether you notice something that works particularly well or discover any problems.
Your feedback is a great help to improve the system!

In addition to our Leveler, Denoiser, and Adaptive 'Hi-Pass' Filter, we now release the missing equalization feature with the new Auphonic AutoEQ.
The AutoEQ automatically analyzes and optimizes the frequency spectrum of a voice recording, to remove sibilance (De-esser) and to create a clear, warm, and pleasant sound - listen to the audio examples below to get an idea about what it does.

Screenshot of manually adjusted example settings for the equalizer plug-in 'Pro-Q3' by fabfilter.

What is Equalization and why is it difficult?

Equalization (EQ) in audio recording and reproduction is the process of adjusting the volume of different frequency bands within a signal.
The following vocal EQ cheat sheet, published by Producer Hive, will give you a small impression, of what can be influenced by equalizing:

Vocal EQ Cheat Sheet by Producer Hive.

On the other hand, it is very easy to ruin a good voice recording with manual heavy-handed equalization, resulting in voices, that sound very sharp or muddy or even like the speaker had a blocked nose.
Besides the skill and experience of an audio engineer, manual adjustments of frequencies also require a very good and linear studio playback device. For example, performing manual equalization with strongly bass-heavy speakers would most likely lead to a very sharp, unpleasant listening experience using treble-heavy headphones.

For singletrack productions with more than one speaker, equalizing is also a very complex and time-consuming process, as every voice has its unique frequency spectrum and needs its own equalization. One could separate speakers with cuts or create a track envelope to fade from one speaker to another, however, any solution is a very tedious job, if you do it by hand.

That is where the Auphonic AutoEQ comes in! All those steps are now available in just one click!

How does the Auphonic AutoEQ work?

The Auphonic Web Service analyzes your audio content and classifies the audio file into small and meaningful segments like music, silence, different speakers, etc. to process every single segment with the best matching algorithms.
All our features like the Adaptive Leveler, Dynamic Denoising, Adaptive 'Hi-Pass' Filtering, and now the new AutoEQ filter option are built on top of this basic processing.

Using Auphonic AutoEQ, spectral EQ profiles are created for each speaker separately and permanently changing over time. The aim of those time-dependent EQ profiles is to create a constant, pleasant sound in the output file even if there are slightly changing voices in the record, for example, due to modified speaker-microphone positions.

Audio Examples

Here are two short audio examples, which demonstrate some features of our AutoEQ.
We recommend listening with headphones so you can hear all the details.

Example 1. Female Speaker with Background Music

In the following example (BCB: The Voices of Bainbridge Island) of a female narrator speaking while background music is playing, you can easily recognize quite sharp 'sss' sounds in the female voice. This sharpness in the female voice is removed by the so-called De-essing feature of the Auphonic AutoEQ, while the background music is not changed.

Example 2. Dialog of Male and Female Speakers

The next example (BCB: The Voices of Bainbridge Island) shows how the AutoEQ optimizes a singletrack record containing two speakers with different voice characteristics. Our AutoEQ algorithms analyze each voice separately and calculate the matching frequency adjustments to optimize the voice of every single speaker.

AutoEQ Beta Integration in the Auphonic Web Service

To use the Auphonic AutoEQ, you just have to create a production or preset as you are used to, toggle “Advanced Parameters” on the top right in the section “Audio Algorithms” and select “Voice AutoEQ” within “Filtering”:

For a first test period, the AutoEQ will only be available for Beta and paying users, to incorporate your feedback and finalize an optimized version.
If you are a free user but want to try Auphonic AutoEQ: please just ask for access!

Practical Tips

For best results using Auphonic AutoEQ, however, it is still necessary, that your audio content is of sufficiently good quality, as no equalizer can make up frequencies that are not there in the first place. Audio files with low bitrates often lack important frequencies, that cannot be recovered by equalizing. AutoEQ is just a feature to boost or cut individual frequency bands, not a bandwidth extension. For more information about required audio quality, see the former blog post: Audio File Formats and Bitrates for Podcasts.

Another important topic is the definition of the 'best result'. Equalizing is a very subjective task, that differs a lot depending on every personal opinion. So Auphonic AutoEQ is set up to follow quite conservative rules of equalizing and rather apply subtle tweaks and remove obvious problems, than support personal preferences. This also means, your record will experience no significant changes from Auphonic AutoEQ if it sounds reasonably OK or pretty good already.

Conclusion

Auphonic audio post production algorithms keep getting better and better in leaps and bounds lately, offering you new Beta Features: Beta Auphonic Denoiser, Beta Auphonic Speech Recognition, and Beta Auphonic AutoEQ.
Right now we are fine-tuning all our current Beta Features with high intensity to release a new upgraded version of our Auphonic Web Service as soon as possible.
Please watch this channel for further updates – soon to come.

If you have any feedback for us or want to become a Beta user, you are very welcome to comment directly in our production interface or to contact us via email!

We often think of creativity and meditation as separate practices – one active and expressive, the other quiet and introspective. But what if these two seemingly different pursuits are actually deeply interconnected, each enhancing and amplifying the other? This fascinating relationship between creativity and meditation was at the heart of my recent conversation with Henry Shukman, an award-winning poet, author, and Zen master. Henry’s unique background bridges the worlds of artistic expression and contemplative practice, giving him profound insights into how meditation can unlock our creative potential. The Creative Benefits of a Quiet Mind One of the core benefits of meditation is learning to quiet the constant chatter of our minds. As Henry explained, this mental stillness creates space for new ideas and inspirations to emerge: “When we meditate regularly, we’re training our minds to be less caught up in the constant stream of thoughts and worries. And in that spaciousness, creativity has room to flourish. Novel connections and insights can bubble up from our subconscious.” This aligns with what many great artists and innovators have reported – that their best ideas often come during moments of mental quiet and relaxation. By cultivating a meditation practice, we’re essentially preparing fertile...

The post The Deep Connection Between Creativity and Meditation first appeared on Chase Jarvis.

The post The Deep Connection Between Creativity and Meditation appeared first on Chase Jarvis.

I read this line on a website. “Apple diehard fans would be tempted to buy a live pig if it had the familiar logo branded on its backside”. Ha! I wondered what that might look like, so I tried to draw a picture in my mind and this was the outcome. Jokes aside people, I...

If you haven’t used Adobe’s brand-new Enhance feature yet, I urge you to give it...

The post Create Better Images with Enhance and Super Resolution appeared first on Alphatracks.

Social media has quickly morphed into one of the most important marketing channels. Within a few short years, it has moved from being a mere fad into the most powerful marketing tool on the planet. Facebook, for example, is just over a decade old but no business can afford not to have a Facebook marketing … Continue reading 9 Social Media Marketing Tips to Deliver Better Results

The post 9 Social Media Marketing Tips to Deliver Better Results appeared first on Design Shard.

Are you looking for a great backup solution for your WordPress site? Duplicator, UpdraftPlus, and BackupBuddy are three of the best plugins to help you back up your site.  They stand above the rest because of their simplicity of use, many features, and security.  Even though they are all great, you need just one backup […]

The post Duplicator Vs. UpdraftPlus Vs. BackupBuddy – Which One is Better? first appeared on IsItWP - Free WordPress Theme Detector.

                        Would you like a recipe, if it doesn’t contain salt? Of course not, as it is one of the most important ingredients of food. So does ‘Keywords’ for Search Engine Optimization. This is the reason, that researching keywords is very crucial for your online marketing, as this […]

The post Do Smart Research on Keywords for Better Search Engine Optimization appeared first on WPCult.

Designing for digital products requires a different mindset than traditional websites. It’s all about continuous adaptation, refining, and iterating as user behavior and needs evolve. Paul Boag reflects on the key differences, including how the frequency of usage impacts your design approach and what you can do about it.

The post Key Differences Between SEO on Amazon and SEO on Google appeared first on DailyBlogTips.com.

The NHLPA will form an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. NHLPA president Marty Walsh said Friday night that the CTE committee was unanimously approved at a union board meeting this summer. The former Boston mayor made the announcement after receiving an award at the annual gala for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which supports patients and families struggling with the symptoms of traumatic brain injuries.

Military service is difficult, dangerous, and demanding. But for some veterans, returning to civilian life can also be a challenge. Going from the structure of active duty—with its purpose-driven roles, full-throttle environment, and sense of camaraderie—to the relatively humdrum life of a civilian can be jarring, particularly for veterans who’ve experienced trauma during their service and may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Researchers at Boston University, including Dawne Vogt and Casey Taft—both professors of psychiatry in the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine—are utilizing a variety of data-backed strategies to support veterans struggling to adapt to their new normal lives. 

A commentary, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, calls for traumatic brain injury to be recognized as a chronic condition as are diabetes, asthma, depression and heart failure. To provide comprehensive care for traumatic brain injury throughout individuals' lifespans, the authors propose that coordinated care models they and others have developed, tested and applied to various populations—including older adults, individuals living with depression and post-intensive care unit survivors—be adapted to improve communication and integration between brain injury specialists—including physical medicine and rehabilitation clinicians—and primary care physicians, fostering better long-term patient care for traumatic brain injury survivors and more support for both patients and their families.

How can machine learning help individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D)? This is what a study presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European As

Lignans are plant-based compounds that, once ingested, are converted into enterolignans by gut bacteria. These enterolignans, particularly enterolactone, a

Experts largely acknowledge cancer as a disease of aging.  The intricate relationship between aging and cancer is underscored by their shared mechanis

A study recently published in Cell Metabolism examines the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on neuronal insulin resistance (IR) and cognitive function

How can machine learning help individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D)? This is what a study presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European As

The connection between sleep patterns and chronic diseases has been an area of increasing interest, particularly as wearable devices like Fitbit become mor

Researchers found that in-person contact is more effective than phoning, emailing, and texting for reducing loneliness in older adults.

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are linked to faster brain aging. Healthy lifestyle habits may protect against this effect.

What influence does cannabis legalization, whether medical or recreational, have on mental health prescription medications? This is what a recent study pub

Engaging in multiple types of memory training exercises- as opposed to repetitive tasks- helps older adults improve their working memory.

The connection between sleep patterns and chronic diseases has been an area of increasing interest, particularly as wearable devices like Fitbit become mor

A class of drugs used to treat diabetes has been linked to a 20% lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease.

A study recently published in Cell Metabolism examines the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on neuronal insulin resistance (IR) and cognitive function

Engaging in multiple types of memory training exercises- as opposed to repetitive tasks- helps older adults improve their working memory.

The connection between sleep patterns and chronic diseases has been an area of increasing interest, particularly as wearable devices like Fitbit become mor

A study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research examined the effects of cannabis use on body mass index (BMI) and found that adults with a history o

Two weeks of an intensive diabetes treatment can improve periodontal disease inflammation among patients with type 2 diabetes.

A class of drugs used to treat diabetes has been linked to a 20% lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Although spending time in nature can reduce stress and generally improve health and well-being, insects like mosquitoes and ticks also pose a risk.

Experts largely acknowledge cancer as a disease of aging.  The intricate relationship between aging and cancer is underscored by their shared mechanis

How can machine learning help individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D)? This is what a study presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European As

How can machine learning help individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D)? This is what a study presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European As

Although spending time in nature can reduce stress and generally improve health and well-being, insects like mosquitoes and ticks also pose a risk.

Pete Walker, Internet Development Manager, ILRT, University of Bristol and Stuart Church, Pure Usability Twill provide an insight into common pitfalls of Web sites and outline some easy methods to undercover how your site is being perceived and how it can be improved.

Phil Wilson, University of Bath will consider how Google's famous for it, Flickr's moved to Gamma, Moo are on an eternal 1.0 - yet still in institutions we plod on with a tired, slow-moving and opaque process for developing and enhancing applications. From our closed support lines to official notices on unread Web sites and applications mysteriously changing in front of a user's very eyes we look staid and tedious. But it doesn't have to be like that, we could be fast faced and interactive - but at what cost? Continuity? Uptime?

ETSI launches a new group on information exchange between maritime surveillance authorities

Sophia Antipolis, 3 May 2019

ETSI has recently launched a new Industry Specification Group on a European Common Information Sharing Environment Service and Data Model (ISG CDM). The ETSI group will define technical standards to allow data exchange among different maritime legacy systems in a cooperative network. Enhancing information exchange between maritime surveillance authorities is one of the key strategic objectives of the European Union under the Integrated Maritime Policy with increased coordination between different policy areas (transport, environmental protection, fisheries control, border control, general law enforcement, customs and defence).

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