LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

AP Television

San Jose, California - 6 April 2016

1. Various of ten year old autistic boy Julian Brown wearing Google Glass and playing a game of cubes with his mother Kristen Brown

2. Close-up of cubes

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

4. Various of Julian Brown playing with his mother wearing Google Glass

5 . Julian focuses Google Glass

6. Mid shot of Kristen Brown seen through the glass from her son's point of view

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

8. Wide of Julian Brown showing his Lego display with his mother watching

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

9. Mid of Stanford researcher pointing to the Google Glass fitted with the recognition software on a mannequin head

10. Close of mannequin wearing Google Glass connected by wires to a laptop

Stanford University VNR

Location and date unknown

11. Shows view through glasses programmed with autism software of woman smiling and shaking hands with the word "happy" appearing

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The Autism Glass program is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them, period. And we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged, and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

13. Mid of Nick Haber (left) and Catalin Voss demonstrating Autism Glass

14. Close-up of Nick Haber wearing Google Glass

Stanford University VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

15. Mid of Catalin Voss responding to Nick Harber shot from Google Glass camera

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The access to care is too limited. So kids with autism are not getting enough of the care that they need, for as long as they need it in the United States and we need to fix the problem."

17. Close of Haber looking at laptop making "happy" face at computer camera followed by "angry" expression

18. Mid of computer screen showing "happy angry" face analysis

19. Close of Haber making "sad" and "disgust" expressions

20. Close of screen showing "surprised" face analysis

21. Various of Haber making faces at Voss who is wearing glass device

22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Catalin Voss, Stanford University student and Autism Glass Project founder

"We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

23. Close-up of Google Glass on Haber's face

Stanford University VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

24. Mid of Voss making facial expressions from point of view of the glass device

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

25. Wide of Voss and Haber looking at researcher's screen

26. Mid of researcher with screen showing facial analysis

27. Close of screen showing facial analysis of researcher's head

28. Close of Google Glass on mannequin head

AP Television

Palo Alto, California - 8 January 2016

29. Mid of Jill Escher from the Autism Society looking at smartphone

30. Close of phone with game she uses to play with autistic children

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Jill Escher, president of Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area

"(A) Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but technology, even the best technology will never be enough, B because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

AP Television

San Jose, California - 6 April 2016

32. Mid of Kristen Brown showing Autism Glass app on phone

33. Close of Brown's phone screen showing Autism Glass therapy video

34. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"It has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us and he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation that I don't remember him doing before the programme."

35. Mid of Julian Brown demonstrating how his toy robot moves

36. Close-up of toy robot

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"I think the glass is a great way to get kids to relate better, to not just their family but to the peers around them. If they can break that barrier, then man oh man, these high-functioning kids, you wouldn't feel like labeling them so much."

38. Close of Julian Brown wearing glass device

39. Close of phone video of Kristen Brown shot from Google Glass

40. Mid of Kristen and Julian Brown playing Story Cubes game

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4046060

LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4046060

LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

AP TELEVISION

San Jose, California - April 6, 2016

1. Various of ten year old autistic boy Julian Brown wearing Google Glass and playing a game of cubes with his mother Kristen Brown

2. Close-up of cubes

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

4. Various of Julian Brown playing with his mother wearing Google Glass

5 . Julian focuses Google Glass

6. Mid shot of Kristen Brown seen through the glass from her son's point of view

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

8. Wide of Julian Brown showing his Lego display with his mother watching

AP TELEVISION

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

9. Mid of Stanford researcher pointing to the Google Glass fitted with the recognition software on a mannequin head

10. Close of mannequin wearing Google Glass connected by wires to a laptop

STANFORD UNIVERSITY VNR

Location and date unknown

11. Shows view through glasses programmed with autism software of woman smiling and shaking hands with the word "happy" appearing

AP TELEVISION

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The Autism Glass program is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them, period. And we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged, and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

13. Mid of Nick Haber (left) and Catalin Voss demonstrating Autism Glass

14. Close-up of Nick Haber wearing Google Glass

STANFORD UNIVERSITY VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

15. Mid of Catalin Voss responding to Nick Harber shot from Google Glass camera

AP TELEVISION

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The access to care is too limited. So kids with autism are not getting enough of the care that they need, for as long as they need it in the United States and we need to fix the problem."

17. Close of Haber looking at laptop making "happy" face at computer camera followed by "angry" expression

18. Mid of computer screen showing "happy angry" face analysis

19. Close of Haber making "sad" and "disgust" expressions

20. Close of screen showing "surprised" face analysis

21. Various of Haber making faces at Voss who is wearing glass device

22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Catalin Voss, Stanford University student and Autism Glass Project founder

"We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

23. Close-up of Google Glass on Haber's face

STANFORD UNIVERSITY VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

24. Mid of Voss making facial expressions from point of view of the glass device

AP TELEVISION

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

25. Wide of Voss and Haber looking at researcher's screen

26. Mid of researcher with screen showing facial analysis

27. Close of screen showing facial analysis of researcher's head

28. Close of Google Glass on mannequin head

AP TELEVISION

Palo Alto, California - 8 January 2016

29. Mid of Jill Escher from the Autism Society looking at smartphone

30. Close of phone with game she uses to play with autistic children

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Jill Escher, president of Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area

"(A) Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but technology, even the best technology will never be enough, B because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

AP TELEVISION

San Jose, California - 6 April 2016

32. Mid of Kristen Brown showing Autism Glass app on phone

33. Close of Brown's phone screen showing Autism Glass therapy video

34. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"It has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us and he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation that I don't remember him doing before the programme."

35. Mid of Julian Brown demonstrating how his toy robot moves

36. Close-up of toy robot

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"I think the glass is a great way to get kids to relate better, to not just their family but to the peers around them. If they can break that barrier, then man oh man, these high-functioning kids, you wouldn't feel like labeling them so much."

38. Close of Julian Brown wearing glass device

39. Close of phone video of Kristen Brown shot from Google Glass

40. Mid of Kristen and Julian Brown playing Story Cubes game

LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

LEAD IN:

Stanford University researchers are studying if a device called Autism Glass can help autistic children improve their ability to read emotions in people's faces.

STORY-LINE:

Like most autistic children, Julian Brown has trouble reading emotions on people's faces.

It's one of the biggest challenges for people with this neurological disorder.

Now the ten year old is getting help from facial recognition software that runs on Google Glass, the computerised eyewear developed by Google.

The youngster says: "There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

Julian wears what researchers are referring to as 'autism glass' for an hour a day while interacting with family members.

The device alerts him to the emotions on their faces and tests his ability to read facial expressions.

So far he's enthusiastic about it, saying: "I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

Julian is one of about a hundred autistic children participating in a Stanford University study to see if the device can improve their face-reading abilities.

Lead researcher Dennis Wall says: "The Autism Glass programme is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them and we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

Stanford student Catalin Voss and researcher Nick Haber developed the software to analyse faces and recognize common emotions such as happy, angry, sad and surprised.

Voss explains: "We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

The Stanford team hopes Autism Glass can provide affordable and convenient therapy which families can use at home.

If the study shows positive results, the product could be commercially available within a few years.

Speaking on behalf of the Autism Society in the San Francisco area Jill Escher says: "Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but even the best technology will never be enough because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

The study is still in its early stages, but some parents claim they already see a change in their children.

Julian's brother is also autistic.

His mother Kristen Brown says: "It (the device) has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us. And he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation."

It's not just Julian who's found the device helpful, according to Stanford participating children have shown gains in their face-reading abilities and family feedback has been encouraging.

AP TELEVISION

San Jose, California - April 6, 2016

1. Various of ten year old autistic boy Julian Brown wearing Google Glass and playing a game of cubes with his mother Kristen Brown

2. Close-up of cubes

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"There's not a machine that can read your mind. But this helps with the emotions, you know, recognising them."

4. Various of Julian Brown playing with his mother wearing Google Glass

5 . Julian focuses Google Glass

6. Mid shot of Kristen Brown seen through the glass from her son's point of view

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Julian Brown, patient in Autism Glass Project

"I really think it would help autistic people a lot."

8. Wide of Julian Brown showing his Lego display with his mother watching

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

9. Mid of Stanford researcher pointing to the Google Glass fitted with the recognition software on a mannequin head

10. Close of mannequin wearing Google Glass connected by wires to a laptop

Stanford University VNR

Location and date unknown

11. Shows view through glasses programmed with autism software of woman smiling and shaking hands with the word "happy" appearing

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The Autism Glass program is meant to teach children with autism how to understand what a face is telling them, period. And we believe that when that happens they will become more socially engaged, and as a consequence of that gain confidence in social settings."

13. Mid of Nick Haber (left) and Catalin Voss demonstrating Autism Glass

14. Close-up of Nick Haber wearing Google Glass

Stanford University VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

15. Mid of Catalin Voss responding to Nick Harber shot from Google Glass camera

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dennis Wall, Wall Lab director, Stanford University School of Medicine

"The access to care is too limited. So kids with autism are not getting enough of the care that they need, for as long as they need it in the United States and we need to fix the problem."

17. Close of Haber looking at laptop making "happy" face at computer camera followed by "angry" expression

18. Mid of computer screen showing "happy angry" face analysis

19. Close of Haber making "sad" and "disgust" expressions

20. Close of screen showing "surprised" face analysis

21. Various of Haber making faces at Voss who is wearing glass device

22. SOUNDBITE: (English) Catalin Voss, Stanford University student and Autism Glass Project founder

"We had the idea of basically creating a behavioural aide that would recognise the expressions and faces for you and then give you social cues according to those."

23. Close-up of Google Glass on Haber's face

Stanford University VNR

Stanford, California - Jan. 8, 2016

24. Mid of Voss making facial expressions from point of view of the glass device

AP Television

San Francisco, California - 8 January 2016

25. Wide of Voss and Haber looking at researcher's screen

26. Mid of researcher with screen showing facial analysis

27. Close of screen showing facial analysis of researcher's head

28. Close of Google Glass on mannequin head

AP Television

Palo Alto, California - 8 January 2016

29. Mid of Jill Escher from the Autism Society looking at smartphone

30. Close of phone with game she uses to play with autistic children

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Jill Escher, president of Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area

"(A) Anything that can help this population is very welcome and very important, but technology, even the best technology will never be enough, B because we are dealing with a population with often very, very profound needs."

AP Television

San Jose, California - 6 April 2016

32. Mid of Kristen Brown showing Autism Glass app on phone

33. Close of Brown's phone screen showing Autism Glass therapy video

34. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"It has helped our son who's using the Google Glasses connect with the family more. He's talking more to us and he seems to be pausing more to just to gather information from us in conversation that I don't remember him doing before the programme."

35. Mid of Julian Brown demonstrating how his toy robot moves

36. Close-up of toy robot

37. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Brown, mother of Julian Brown

"I think the glass is a great way to get kids to relate better, to not just their family but to the peers around them. If they can break that barrier, then man oh man, these high-functioning kids, you wouldn't feel like labeling them so much."

38. Close of Julian Brown wearing glass device

39. Close of phone video of Kristen Brown shot from Google Glass

40. Mid of Kristen and Julian Brown playing Story Cubes game

LENGTH: 4.45

SHOTLIST:

Oakland, California, US, April 21, 2010

1. Low angle of lab technician

2. Close up of saliva samples

3. Close up of samples with small barcodes

4. Wide of lab technician walking up to computer

5. Close up of computer

6. Close up of samples being prepared to be sent to UCSF

7. Wide shot of Oakland skyline

2. Low angle of the exterior of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research building

3. Entrance to the lab

4. Mid shot of lab worker

5. Close up of lab equipment

6. Medium close shot of Cathy Schaefer with lab worker

7. SOUNDBITE: (English), Cathy Schaefer, Exec. Director, Research Program on Genes, Environment & Health (RPGEH)

"The purpose of building a resource like this is really to speed up research, to bring the day closer when we'll have important and real information that can be shared that will make a difference in people's health."

San Francisco, US, April 21, 2010

8. Mid shot of Neil Risch working on at a computer

9. Close up of Neil Risch's fingers on a keyboard

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Neil Risch, Director, UCSF Institute for Human Genetics

"Never has this amount of genetic data been created on a resource like this where we have longitudinal information up to 20 years or longer on the majority of these individuals. Clinical information, pharmacy information, laboratory tests, radiology information - it's just unprecedented, the amount of data that can be examined looking for genetic and environmental correlates for all these traits and diseases as well as healthy ageing."

11. Technician taking samples out of a freezer

12. Close up of frozen samples

13. Tilt down of technician packing samples for UCSF with ice packs

14. Close up of samples with ice packs

15. Wide of Esther Hill walking through shot

16. SOUNDBITE: (English), Esther Hill, DNA volunteer

"I received information from Kaiser asking if I would be part of this study and I was really interested in it. I have two children, two sons, and so I have a sort of vested interest in research and medical discovery. I want things to be better for my kids. So that was the thing that made me most want to get involved in this study."

17. Low angle close up of UCSF sign

18. Dr. Pui Kwok working on a laptop

19. Close up of Dr. Pui Kwok's typing on the laptop keyboard

20. SOUNDBITE: (English), Dr. Pui Kwok, Professor of Dermatology, UCSF

"The diversity of the Northern California region where our cohort represents many different ethnic backgrounds and racial groups whereas most other countries because of their homogeneous populations, their bio-banks are quite kind of narrow in terms of ethnicity."

21. Lab technician checking samples at the UCSF-Kwok lab

22. Close up of samples in the DNA amplification area

23. SOUNDBITE: (English), Dr. Pui Kwok, Professor of Dermatology, UCSF

"After the reagents (substance added to check for reaction) have been put together with the DNA, we're going to put it in an incubator that will amplify the DNA into millions of copies. And so the robot is going to pick up the plate and put it into the incubator."

24. Close up of robot putting a plate into an incubator

25. Close up of technician showing DNA samples

26. Close up of samples sliding into machine

27. Close up of container

28. Tilt up of a technician moving samples

29. Close up of technician putting samples into a centrifuge

Berkeley, California, US, April 27, 2010

30. Wide shot of entrance to Stanley Hall at the University of California, Berkeley

37. Close up of Professor Michael Eisen writing on a white board and speaking

38. Close up of Eisen's face in profile

39. Medium close of Michael Eisen writing and marking white board

40. SOUNDBITE: (English), Prof. Michael Eisen, Genetics, Genomics and Development, University of California, Berkeley

"Once you know, okay, my doctor knows my genotype so he can tell me which drugs I should be taking when I get sick or what types of conditions I might face downstream and how I can try to mitigate them. And once people are getting that benefit and once it starts to make their lives better, and make them healthier, I think that the fears that they have about this information getting our there, they won't disappear, but they'll be balanced by the good."

San Francisco, California - April 21, 2010

41. Wide shot of San Francisco Bay

LEADIN:

Scientists have begun unlocking the secrets of the human genome using a database of genetic information they hope will eventually reveal the root of many serious diseases.

The Californian study hopes to uncover why some us are more susceptible to certain illnesses and why some of us will live longer than others.

STORYLINE:

Each of these precious little packages could contribute to unlocking the secrets of diseases which continue to claim millions of lives around the world.

These are just some of the 140,000 DNA samples collected from volunteers.

They're being speedily processed using sophisticated robots and automated systems.

It's all part of a $25 million dollar (USD) government funded project called the Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health (RPGEH).

The programme's run by scientists at Kaiser Permanente, the country's largest non-profit organisation providing health care and hospital treatment along with geneticists from the University of California San Francisco.

Kaiser Permanente collect the genetic information from a growing pool of volunteers from its patients.

Cathy Schaefer is Executive Director of the gene research program.

She says "the purpose of building a resource like this is really to speed up research, to bring the day closer when we'll have important and real information that can be shared that will make a difference in people's health."

They aim to have built up a biobank of genetic information based on the samples of half a million Californians by 2013.

This will be combined with patient surveys and information from Kaiser's existing database which the National Institutes of Health believes is the world's largest civilian electronic health record.

When the laboratories here in Oakland have completed processing the saliva samples they're sent off to scientists at the University of California San Francisco, where another team will perform the genotyping, where they determine their genetic makeup.

UCSF's Director at the Institute for Human Genetics is Neil Risch.

Risch claims the amount of genetic data being collected here is impressive.

He says "clinical information, pharmacy information, laboratory tests, radiology information, it's just unprecedented, the amount of data that can be examined looking for genetic and environmental correlates for all these traits and diseases as well as healthy ageing."

Among those contributing their DNA to the study is Esther Hill a mother with two children.

She says because of this she feels she has "a sort of vested interest in research and medical discovery. I want things to be better for my kids. So that was the thing that made me most want to get involved in this study."

In the past, the cost of genotyping this many samples would have been prohibitive, but technological improvements and the large number of samples has helped lower the cost.

Even so it still amounts to several hundred dollars per person.

UCSF's Professor of Dermatology, Dr. Pui Kwok, says one of the greatest benefits of the study is that it isn't dedicated to a single disease.

He says it'll be more useful to the medical profession because of "the diversity of the Northern California region where our cohort represents many different ethnic backgrounds and racial groups".

According to Kwok "most other countries because of their homogeneous populations, their bio-banks are quite kind of narrow in terms of ethnicity."

Also the average age of volunteers is 65 which means the biobank created here will be especially useful when it comes to focussing on aging and age-related diseases.

Another scientist getting excited about the biobank is geneticist Michael Eisen - a passionate supporter of the Public Library of Science, as you can see from his sweatshirt.

He's also an enthusiastic researcher into the fruit fly.

There has been some concern about people's privacy - but Eisen brushes these aside.

He insists the matter of privacy is trumped by the importance this information contains for medicine in the future.

According to Eisen when our doctors know our genotypes they'll be able to target and prescribe drugs precisely.

What more he says doctors will be able to tell us what our bodies have in store for us years ahead so that we can take practical steps to alleviate their future effects.

Eisen argues that "once people are getting that benefit and once it starts to make their lives better, and make them healthier, I think that the fears that they have about this information getting our there, they won't disappear, but they'll be balanced".

This genetic database is not the only one in the world.

The UK's Biobank already has the genetic samples of 485,257 people and is expected to announce the completion of the bank by the middle of July 2010.

China has already completed one databank.

Here on the west coast of America, scientists are hoping to follow suit.