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Kids Help Phone Launches the KHP Innovation and Applied Research Accelerator for Youth Mental Health on the Elevate Stage

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The acceleratorKHP will disrupt the future of youth mental health support in Canada

TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2024 /CNW/ – Kids Help Phone (KHP) is proud to announce the launch of acceleratorKHP — KHP’s Innovation and Applied Research Accelerator for Youth Mental Health. As the catalyst for youth mental health innovation in Canada, acceleratorKHP will deliver new mental health and wellness products, services designed with young people for the modern digital era, applied research, and policy changing insights. The acceleratorKHP will revolutionize the way young people experience mental health and wellness support to thrive in their world. Today’s youth are facing a rapidly evolving crisis, with challenges more complex than ever before. Youth under 13 who contacted KHP about suicide increased by 200% from 2019 to 2023. In 2023 alone, KHP interacted with 4.7 million youth, the highest number in the organization’s history. 

acceleratorKHP is designed to tackle this escalating crisis. KHP is harnessing the power of a one of-a-kind dataset (the largest and most unique on youth mental health in Canada), the emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), and 35 years of experience supporting young people. As the most trusted charity in Canada, KHP is uniquely positioned to lead the development of next generation solutions to address the youth mental health crisis head on.

acceleratorKHP is the pathway to the next evolution of KHP and puts young people in the centre of their mental health and wellbeing in ways that have never been possible before modern capabilities in AI and machine learning. Products designed within acceleratorKHP will be co designed with young people and fueled by clinical experts and world leading technology partners. 

KHP will achieve its goals by creating multi-sectoral partnerships with those who will rally around the Feel Out Loud movement, with a social impact commitment to delivering a personalized wellbeing experience for all youth in Canada, and globally. New products stemming from this unique incubator of innovation and data have been generously supported by our strategic partners at Levio, a leading consulting firm that specializes in digital transformation, and the Vector Institute, a globally renowned institute that empowers researchers and industry to develop and adopt AI responsibly.

Recently, Levio and Kids Help Phone announced a $1 million gift-in-kind partnership, in which Levio will share its AI expertise and strategic advice with KHP to continue driving forward their mission of meeting young people wherever they are in whatever way they need. The first project on the partnership roadmap will focus on sentiment analysis to decode the way young people speak about their experiences and mental health. Learnings will enable further informed decisions about content, programs, partnerships, and services.

KHP previously announced a partnership with the Vector Institute.The collaboration leverages natural language processing, a subfield of AI, to further develop service delivery at KHP by enhancing their e-mental health services to complement the skills and expertise of its dedicated frontline staff.

KHP seeks support from the innovation, tech and entrepreneurial communities to collaborate through acceleratorKHP, and develop the next generation of mental health and wellness support services – custom built and personalized to meet the unique needs of every young person in Canada.

To get involved with acceleratorKHP visit www.acceleratorkhp.ca

FAST FACTS

KHP’s has the most unique dataset of its kind in Canada with 45M real-time, real language data points in the voices of youth and what they are experiencing in any moment.All interactions with Kids Help Phone remain completely confidential. And meet a best in-class de-identification tool that meets the new ISO27559 standard for de-identifying data containing personal information.Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in Canada. And Canada has the third highest suicide rate for all developed countries. Nearly a quarter of service interactions with KHP are related to suicide.75 % of service users tell KHP something they’ve never told anyone before.KHP has always been a disruptor – a founder of virtual healthcare in Canada, through its 24/7 telephone service – and has been disrupting ever since.In 2018, KHP launched Canada’s first texting service, where AI and machine learning (ML) were introduced to triage texting the most distressed users, providing human to human crisis response to those in need.

QUOTES
“The launch of acceleratorKHP marks a milestone today for Kids Help Phone, and a significant step forward for e-mental health solutions in Canada,” said Katherine Hay, President & CEO, Kids Help Phone. “KHP has a track record of evolving our services to meet the needs of young people and is a global leader in innovation when it comes to e-mental health solutions. Through strategic partnerships in the tech and innovation space, generous support from our funders and the Government of Canada, KHP will lead the country in its evolution of delivering wellbeing and support to youth coast-to-coast.”

SUPPORTING QUOTES

“Last month Levio proudly announced a strategic partnership with Kids Help Phone that will leverage AI to enhance the quality and impact of their services,” said Elaine Marin, Head of the Data & AI Line of Business at Levio. “The launch of the acceleratorKHP is a groundbreaking step for the future of e-mental health solutions. With the knowledge and dataset of KHP, combined with the expertise from leaders in the tech space like Levio, this will undoubtedly revolutionize how we support young people across the country.”

“Canadian youth are in crisis and artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly integral tools to provide them with the support they need,” said Tony Gaffney, President & CEO, the Vector Institute. “We are proud to play a role in the acceleratorKHP leveraging cutting-edge technology to enable faster, smarter, service delivery to support youth in real time.”

About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 national, e-mental health service offering free, confidential, multi-lingual support to young people. As the country’s virtual care expert for 35 years, we give millions of youth a safe, trusted space to Feel Out Loud over the phone, through text, or in self-directed supports for any moment of crisis or need. The Feel Out Loud campaign is the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada’s history – it will raise $300 million to unlock hope for young people to thrive in their worlds. Kids Help Phone gratefully relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, stakeholder partners, corporate partners and governments to fuel and fund our programs. Learn more at KidsHelpPhone.ca.

About Levio
Levio is a digital native consulting firm providing services covering all aspects of digital transformation, from business strategies to information technologies (IT), to organizational management, including cybersecurity, data valorization, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. 

Since its creation in 2014, Levio has grown by leaps and bounds and was listed on America’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2021 for its sustainable growth. Moreover, for a second year in a row, Levio ranked among Glassdoor’s top 25 Best Places to Work in Canada and ranks 32nd in Canada’s Best Startup employers according to Forbes. 

The firm specializes in supporting its institutional and corporate clients when implementing digital transformation programs or mega-projects. For 10 years, Levio has built its reputation on an outstanding team of consultants who deliver substantial solutions benefiting from new technologies to help its clients gain efficiency and profitability. 

Levio has signed the Montreal Declaration for a Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence, and distinguished itself as one of the few consulting firms to have signed the Canadian Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems. By doing so, Levio not only strengthens its pioneering role but also reaffirms its commitment to the responsible and ethical use of AI. 

More details at LevioConsulting.com.

About Vector Institute
Launched in 2017, the Vector Institute works with industry, institutions, startups, and governments to build AI talent and drive research excellence in AI to develop and sustain AI based innovation to foster economic growth and improve the lives of Canadians. Vector aims to advance AI research, increase adoption in industry and health through programs for talent, commercialization, and application, and lead Canada towards the responsible use of AI. Programs for industry, led by top AI practitioners, offer foundations for applications in products and processes, company-specific guidance, training for professionals, and connections to workforce-ready talent. Vector is funded by the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada through the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, and leading industry sponsors from across multiple sectors of Canadian Industry.

SOURCE Kids Help Phone

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Axon Announces Body 5: Next-Generation Camera Built for the AI Era

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Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power of earlier-generation cameras, with upgraded connectivity, audio and battery life to support real-time situational awareness in the field

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the global leader in public safety technology, today announced Axon Body 5, its newest body-worn camera designed to bring more powerful intelligence, connectivity and real-time support directly to officers in the field.

For years, Axon body cameras have helped agencies capture critical evidence and create greater transparency. Body 5 is built to help officers during the call, with information, assistance and backup on the spot.

“Officers shouldn’t have to choose between getting information and watching the scene. With Axon Body 5, they don’t,” said Rick Smith, Axon Founder and CEO. “They capture a license or document with the camera, keep their hands free and eyes up, and get information faster than writing it down and calling it in by radio. An officer fully engaged with the person in front of them, not down at a notepad, is a safer officer and a better-served community.”

Axon Body 5: Built for the AI Era

Built from the ground up for the AI era, Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power than earlier generation Axon body cameras, alongside advancements in connectivity, audio, video and battery life. Together, these upgrades give the camera the physical power to run smarter AI features — both today and as new AI tools are developed in the future — while also making it more dependable for officers to use every day. 

For the first time, Axon is also introducing two versions of its latest flagship camera: Axon Body 5 and Axon Body 5 Pro.

Both models feature several key advancements, including:

25x more processing power for AI: A powerful new computing architecture creates the capacity to support current and future AI features directly on the body camera.Enhanced video: Improved video captures clearer evidence across challenging environments, including better low-light performance.Improved connectivity: Seamless connectivity in urban and remote environments – and more precise location capability – helps officers, cameras and remote support teams stay connected when timely information matters most.Longer battery life: 20% more battery life than the previous generation helps keep the camera ready and connected throughout an officer’s shift.

The Axon Body 5 Pro will continue to gain new AI capabilities as they become available, growing along with the AI Era Plan. Additionally, new hardware features include:

A near-focus camera: An additional dedicated camera lens lets officers scan driver’s licenses to check status and search for wants or warrants in seconds, without returning to the patrol vehicle, with relevant information sent to Axon Fusus to support real-time operations.Front-facing speakers: Four additional speakers project even more powerful audio toward the person an officer is speaking with, helping real-time translations from Axon Assistant carry more clearly over heavy traffic or crowd noise. Additional memory: Extra space lets the camera run several AI tools at once, helping officers stay better informed and work faster.

Bringing More of Axon’s AI Era Into the Field

Axon Body 5 helps officers get more out of the Axon AI Era Plan by bringing smart tools right to the scene. Axon’s portfolio already supports public safety professionals across a growing range of tasks. For example, Draft One helps officers turn body-camera audio into high-quality report drafts and Axon Assistant provides voice-based information access and real-time translation.

Increasingly, Axon is also bringing AI into real-time operations.

Axon Guardian is a new category of AI features within the AI Era Plan that was specifically created to work with an officer’s field-based devices – starting with body cameras and in-car cameras – to improve safety. Guardian is designed to flag potential risks as situations unfold and create alerts when additional attention may be needed. Two of the first features include:

Escalation Detection: When an Axon Body 4 or Axon Body 5 camera is activated and recording, Guardian has the ability to detect potential conflicts in real time and create an alert in Axon Fusus. A human reviews the livestream and decides if additional support or action is needed.Approach Alert: When active on Axon Fleet 3, Guardian can detect if the door of a stopped vehicle opens and alert the officer through the in-car display and their body-worn camera.

Combined, Axon Body 5 and the expanding AI Era portfolio demonstrate the importance of AI as a critical resource to assist public safety professionals before, during and after an incident — reducing administrative burden, improving situational awareness and helping protect more lives.

Innovating Responsibly

Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework guides the development of all of its products. Designed with this in mind, Axon Body 5 and Guardian prioritize human oversight and maintain agency control over data. As a key part of the responsible innovation process, Axon’s independent Ethics and Equity Advisory Council was created to help responsibly develop and deploy new technologies with transparency, while aligning with community expectations.

General availability dates for Axon Body 5 and Axon Guardian will be announced soon. Product features and capabilities vary by configuration. For more information on Axon’s current products and services: Axon Product Catalog – Axon.com.

About Axon
Axon (Nasdaq: AXON) is the global leader in public safety technology supporting state, local, federal and international public safety agencies with technology designed to Protect Life. Complementing its mission, Axon’s growing Enterprise market focuses on protecting critical infrastructure and frontline workers across multiple industries including corporate security, hospitality, retail and healthcare. Founder-led since 1993, Axon builds products with transparency and responsibility. From TASER energy devices to today’s connected network of hardware – including cameras, drones, and robotics – cloud software, sensors, and AI-tools, the Axon ecosystem helps seamlessly protect people and places when it matters most. To ensure these technologies align with community expectations, Axon’s independent Ethics & Equity Advisory Council guides the ethical, inclusive, and accountable design of its products and services. Learn more about the EEAC and Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework at Axon Responsibility. 

Non-Axon trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Axon, TASER and the Delta Logo are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

Please visit https://investor.axon.com and https://www.axon.com/newsroom for more information.

Media Contact:
Kate MacKinnon
Vice President, Communications
press@axon.com

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In HelloNation, Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle Explains a Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design

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The article explains why smart geometry, not thicker walls, creates stronger, more efficient aluminum components.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What early design choice causes many custom aluminum projects to become heavier, costlier, or harder to manufacture? That question is addressed in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle of American Custom Metals, Inc. in Rochester, New York, that outlines how misunderstanding aluminum behavior leads designers to rely on thick walls instead of stronger geometry.

The article begins by explaining that many people assume thicker walls automatically make aluminum parts stronger. It notes that aluminum does not respond to wall thickness the way steel does. Instead, its performance is shaped by how the metal flows through the extrusion die. The article states that custom aluminum design is more effective when profiles use ribs, chambers, and flanges to create stiffness without adding unnecessary weight. This guidance helps readers understand why adding material often increases cost without improving strength.

The article also highlights that thicker walls change how aluminum moves during extrusion. When heavy areas fill more slowly, the metal cools unevenly and can develop stress that only appears later. The HelloNation piece explains that well-balanced geometry keeps extrusion smooth and predictable. This consistency makes it easier to maintain dimensional accuracy across long production runs. By focusing on geometry, custom aluminum design avoids the problems that come with slow extrusion speeds and uneven cooling.

Another insight in the article centers on how ribs and internal supports influence stability. It describes how a thin wall supported by a properly placed rib often performs better than a thick wall with no reinforcement. This happens because the rib helps distribute load, improve stiffness, and guide the aluminum as it cools. The article explains that this structural approach makes custom aluminum design more efficient and gives designers more control over how the final part behaves under pressure.

The article also shows why early collaboration between designer and fabricator prevents costly changes. It states that a fabricator familiar with extrusion can catch potential issues before a die is built. Small adjustments to corners or transitions can remove weak points or improve metal flow. The article notes that this teamwork keeps the design aligned with real-world production. By working together early, both sides reduce the risk of redesigning the die after the first test run.

Machining is another area where the article explains how wall thickness affects performance. Features such as deep pockets or sharp internal angles may require slow feed rates or special tooling. When walls are thicker than needed, those areas can become difficult to machine cleanly. The article states that thoughtful custom aluminum design makes machining more predictable. Small changes, such as adding radiused edges or sizing features to match standard tools, help shorten cycle times and prevent tool wear.

Thermal behavior receives detailed attention as well. The article explains that aluminum retains heat differently depending on the mass of each section. Thicker walls hold heat longer, which increases the chance of distortion during extrusion, machining, or finishing. When a design uses geometry to create strength, the material cools more evenly. This reduces warping and helps long profiles stay aligned. The article notes that stable cooling is important for components that require a precise fit and consistent shape throughout an entire production run.

Cost is also a key topic in the article. It states that heavier profiles increase material use, extrusion time, and tooling needs. A custom aluminum design that relies on geometry instead of mass lowers material consumption and keeps the fabrication process efficient. The article explains that lighter parts are easier to handle, ship, and assemble. This saves money across multiple stages of production and supports long-term manufacturing efficiency.

The article also notes that smart custom aluminum design creates profiles that behave predictably during extrusion and machining. Smooth transitions, balanced wall dimensions, and structural features help reduce the chance of distortion or dimensional drift. These elements also lower scrap rates and support reliable performance. By using geometry instead of excess material, designers build parts that maintain strength without compromising manufacturability.

As the article concludes, it emphasizes that avoiding thick walls is one of the best ways to improve performance and lower cost. It states that the most dependable custom aluminum components come from designs that use structural features to strengthen the profile. When designers understand how aluminum behaves at each stage of extrusion and machining, they create parts that are strong, efficient, and consistent from batch to batch. This approach turns custom aluminum design into a predictable process rather than a series of uncertain adjustments.

A Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design features insights from Mark Coyle, Custom Fabrication Expert of Rochester, NY, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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World Young Scientist Summit 2026 Opens in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

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WENZHOU, China, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report by China Daily:

On October 24, the World Young Scientist Summit 2026 opened in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. The event is hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and the World Association of Young Scientists. Nearly 800 representatives, including scientists, educators, and entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries and regions, are attending the summit.

He Junke, Vice President of CAST in charge of daily work and First Secretary of its Secretariat; Lian Yimin, Chairman and Party Group Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Marcelo Knobel, Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences; and Zhang Zhenfeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Wenzhou Municipal Committee, attended the summit and delivered remarks. Yao Gaoyuan, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, presided over the first segment of the plenary session.

With the theme “Gathering Talents Worldwide to Create a Better Future,” the summit’s annual agenda is “Global Youth Action in the AI Era: Building a Sustainable Future.” It aims to draw on the insights of young people around the world, deepen international sci-tech cooperation, and jointly address questions about young people, science, the world and the future.

Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chen Yunji, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Processor Chips; Mary Garson, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and Lu Chaoyang, Member of the Standing Committee of CAST, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, and Chairman of the Council of the World Association of Young Scientists, delivered keynote speeches respectively on education reform in the AI era, AI and processor chips, young women scientists’ participation in science, and quantum computing. They explored new opportunities for scientific research, talent cultivation, and international cooperation in the AI era.

This year’s summit placed greater emphasis on the growth needs of young scientists, with young talents under the age of 45 accounting for 88 percent of participants. It aimed to build a cluster of international journals, bring together young scientific talent, facilitate a batch of international collaborative projects and advance the application and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. The summit released the Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Young Scientists in the Field of Embodied Intelligence, launched the World Young Scientist Summit Partner Journal Program and the 2026 World Young Scientist Innovation and Entrepreneurship Growth Support Program. It also published the “Young Scientist Pioneers 2035” list and announced the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award. The awards were presented to four Chinese and foreign scientists.

Chen Tianrun, Founder of Hangzhou Moxin Technology Co., Ltd.; Yuan Yang, Assistant to the Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences at Tsinghua University; and two of the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award winners, César de la Fuente and Nicola Segata, among other Chinese and foreign young scientist representatives, spoke at the flash-talk session to share their research practices and reflections.

In addition, the conference focused on fields such as future manufacturing, quantum information, embodied intelligence, brain-computer intelligence, environmental science, deep-sea resources, and life and health, and held 12 parallel forums. It also included the “Gravitation π” Future Technology and Concept Products Exhibition and Exchange, local thematic side events, and sci-tech and humanities study visits, further building an interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector platform for youth sci-tech exchange and cooperation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-young-scientist-summit-2026-opens-in-wenzhou-zhejiang-302918664.html

SOURCE China Daily

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