A Professor from Australia’s Monash University will be leading a breakthrough project that is the sole recipient of a US$ 850,000 (AU$ 1.21 million) grant from an American multinational technology company specialising in Internet-related services and products.
According to a recent press release, the grant will be used to establish a world-first suicide monitoring system.
The Partnership
The University will partner with Australia’s leading addiction treatment and research centre, as well as with one of Melbourne’s largest metropolitan public health services.
The addiction treatment and research centre is one of 20 organisations world-wide to share in US$ 25 million grants as part of the tech company’s AI Impact Challenge.
This challenge called on non-profits, social enterprises and research institutions to submit their ideas on how to use AI to address societal challenges. More than 2600 organisations applied.
The partnership will use the funds to develop a national suicide monitoring system that has the potential to set global standards for suicide prevention efforts.
National suicide monitoring system
The project will involve using AI methodologies to streamline coding of national suicide-related ambulance data.
The resulting data will play a central role in informing public health prevention, policy and intervention.
It will also be used to identify emerging trends, hidden populations and geographical hotspots for targeted responses relating to suicide.
A Professor of Addiction Studies and Services from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at the University, who is also the Director of the addiction treatment and research centre, will lead the project with a Professor from the Faculty of Information Technology and a Senior Research Fellow at the public health service.
Aiming for a positive impact
Suicide rates are, unfortunately, continuing to rise in Australia and across the world.
This generous grant from the tech giant will provide an opportunity to undertake a project that has huge potential to make a positive impact.
The public health service is excited to work on the project over the next three years. The outcome of the project will contribute to the improvement of the lives of the people in the community.
Utilising artificial intelligence
The tech company has witnessed how AI helps in accomplishing daily tasks and travels. Potentially, AI can also help address some of the world’s biggest humanitarian challenges.
The announcement underpins the work and research undertaken at the University to support initiatives in AI for social good as well as the development of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health.
The Institute will bring together clinicians, researchers and community groups at a dedicated institute on the Clayton Campus to develop solutions for mental health conditions.
