Education Perfect announces $10,000 ‘EP Studio’ competition for teachers

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July 21, 2020

Source: Press Release Service – New Zealand

Teachers are always looking for new ways to deliver their curriculum; ways that better engage students; to deliver content more effectively or with greater efficiency. Some teachers have limited resources, or have limited access to colleagues in other schools who may be teaching the same content, in different ways. EP Studio provides a platform for teachers to share their curriculum content and lesson plans – and EP wants to enable teachers and make it easier for all teachers, globally, to access this content.

By entering, schools look to win a $10,000 tech package, with teachers winning up to $1000 in vouchers.

The process for teachers to enter is:

1. Register at epforschool.com/studio-competition
2. Create a Smart Lesson on EP
3. Share the lesson through the EP platform
4. Share the lesson name on social media using #epstudio
EP Studio is one of EP’s many platforms, allowing teachers to create a wide variety of resources using EP’s intuitive authoring tools. Teachers can then share these with colleagues, no matter where they are in the world.

Hamish Arthur, a teacher at NZ’s Gisborne Boys’ High School, very quickly progressed from using content built by other teachers and EP, to creating his own when he started using EP through the lockdown period.

“We began using… pre-existing tasks and we have now moved on to creating our own content within the department and using the EP platform to deliver and monitor work for our students. We are developing a variety of mixed media, short and long answer questions to engage students.”

CEO of EP Alex Burke said the competition was a chance for teachers to share their lessons with colleagues on a global stage.

“We know that teachers are always looking for new ways to engage and inspire their students, and are always keen to find innovative ways to do it,” he said.

“EP Studio is going to give teachers the ideal forum for this exchange of ideas, and the contest is the best way to encourage participation from teachers in schools around the world.”

Both schools and teachers are set to benefit from the competition, with the entrant judged the winner having a $10,000 tech package awarded to their school, plus a $1000 voucher for the teacher.

Second prize is a $5000 tech package, plus $500 voucher, and a $2500 tech package and $250 voucher for the third placed entrant.

The winning entrants will be decided by EP staff, based on the responses from other teachers on social media, student usage and engagement, and lesson quality.

With multiple entries welcomed from participating teachers, this gives educators the chance to share their expertise in creating enriching learning experiences for students.

The competition closes 18 September, with winners announced shortly after.

Media Release on 21 July 2020

Media Contact
Annie de Merindol, Education Perfect
Email: annie.demerindol@thebigsmoke.com.au
Phone: +61 414 757 390
Website: https://epforschool.com/en/

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Graphic Monk Creates Digital Human Double

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July 21, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service

(PR.co.nz) Graphic Monk had the opportunity to work with Heidi Renata, Chief Energy Officer INNOV8HQ – Dunedin to create a Digital Double Digital Human in her likeness.

This was an experimental project to help showcase the advancement in emerging technologies with machine learning and AI to create a fully animation ready virtual human from just one photograph.

Digi-Heidi is still very much a work-in-progress project to possibly integrate with business systems and processes. There are a multitude of directions and digital careers for Digi-Heidi’s future.

The project goes to showcase the possibilities available today in Dunedin via Graphic Monk to assist brands create digital humans for network effects and social marketing.

AI is no longer limited just to research projects but instead is a valuable technology toolkit to help accelerate labor-intensive tasks and in turn, give better time management and control back to artists to concentrate on the creation process.

Digital humans are now able to be created with quicker iterations and agile processes by using neural networks, machine learning to help with face swapping, image denoising, character locomotion using real-time motion performance capture, facial animation, gesture blend shapes and texture creations.

Creating real-time digital humans requires more than just creative expression, but rather a need to solve complex problems like replicating and data streaming motions and facial gestures of the performer directly onto the digital human character, rendering the character to ensure it looks realistic and most importantly to ensure that the digital human’s body moves like the real person as well as the facial gestures are replicated to match those of the performer driving the digital humans. All these nuances form parts of delivering a high-fidelity digital human that others can relate to and believe to be real.

These digital humans can be used as actors for virtual productions for film, media, and broadcasting, for game development, AR, VR, MR applications, health & wellbeing, tourism, education, interactive storytelling and more.

Digi-Heidi is an experimental work-in-progress based on Heidi Renata (CEO-Innov8HQ, Dunedin) as a personalised digital double, created using a single image through AI-Machine Learning workflow.
(2020 © Graphic Monk)
Jeasy Sehgal, Founder of Graphic Monk, has been involved with the CGI, Film, Game, Advertising and Media industry for over two decades and has had the opportunity to learn and work alongside some talented people and emerging technologies.

Throughout our professional practice, we have had the benefit of using emerging technologies to test and incorporate into our workflow pipelines.

We are currently working with EDT (emerging & disruptive technologies) like AI (Artificial Intelligence) & Machine Learning, enabling us to design, iterate, deploy a realistic digital human character in record times while maintaining a close realism of the digital human’s skin textures, blemishes, iris reflections for the eyes and more.

Founded in 2017, Graphic Monk is a production company born out of the work of Jeasy Sehgal. Graphic Monk, along with its subsidiary; DynaKinetix moved from Auckland to Dunedin in 2019 to establish a hub and to create opportunities for the creative talent in the South Island.

Graphic Monk specialize in film production, film editing, 3D asset development, digital humans, animation, mobile motion capture, game design and more.

Media Release 21 July 2020.

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GoodbyePores Remover

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July 20, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service

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A New Zealand owned company called ‘GoodbyePores’ is growing rapidly and establishing it’s place as the leading blackhead remover product in New Zealand & Australia!

The sole focus of GoodbyePores is it’s only product called the ‘GoodbyePores Remover’ which is a vacuum-like machine that can extract blackheads, clogged pores, dead skin and much more.

“It’s because we only manufacture a single type of product that we can put all our minds, energy and effort in to this single idea that we have that’s why we can achieve what we achieved in such short period of time!”- Olivia (GoodbyePores, Representative)

Due to the success GoodbyePores has has achieved in such short notice it’s having a sale of 60% off going on and according to their representative you can also get another 10% off on top of that by using the discount code on their website.A New Zealand owned company called ‘GoodbyePores’ is growing rapidly and establishing it’s place as the leading blackhead remover product in New Zealand & Australia!

The sole focus of GoodbyePores is it’s only product called the ‘GoodbyePores Remover’ which is a vacuum-like machine that can extract blackheads, clogged pores, dead skin and much more.

“It’s because we only manufacture a single type of product that we can put all our minds, energy and effort in to this single idea that we have that’s why we can achieve what we achieved in such short period of time!”- Olivia (GoodbyePores, Representative)

Due to the success GoodbyePores has has achieved in such short notice it’s having a sale of 60% off going on and according to their representative you can also get another 10% off on top of that by using the discount code on their website.

Media Release 20 July 2020.

MIL OSI

Emergency Q – New Mobile Directory

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July 20, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service

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Emergency Q, the mobile health hospital wait time app, now also offers a free, up-to-the minute directory of COVID-19 information to assist Kiwis in navigating vital health, employment and family support services. This includes information on COVID-19 itself, such as what to do if you have symptoms, plus a ‘click to call’ function to reach mental health support, alcohol and drug counselling, whanau ora services and employment advice.

The app is free and available nationwide to anyone with a smartphone through the AppStore and GooglePlay.

The COVID-19 enhancement to Emergency Q was developed with support from MBIE’s COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration fund and is designed so its content can be updated quickly without any additional coding, ensuring that users have the latest official information as it comes to hand.

“The pandemic has been hugely stressful, and many people want to use a range of health and social services to help them get through. Our new directory makes accessing those services fast and easy, so if you have an employment related question for example, you’ll find organisations who can help. Likewise, if you are feeling like your anxiety levels are through the roof and need to talk to someone, at the touch of a button we can put you through to a mental health service,” says Morris Pita, Chief Executive and founder of Emergency Q.

The COVID-19 directory enhances Emergency Q’s app, which reduces overcrowding in hospital Emergency Departments by re-directing non-emergency cases, like sprained ankles and earache, into primary care.

Launched in 2017, Emergency Q has already been used by more than 38,000 patients in six New Zealand hospitals, reducing Emergency Department overcrowding by between 500 and 700 patients per month, per hospital. Developed by Healthcare Applications Limited, the app was named Most Innovative Technology Solution for the Public Good at the 2018 New Zealand High Tech Awards and is a finalist in this year’s Awards in three categories; Hi-Tech Start-up Company of the Year; Most Innovative Hi-Tech Service of the Year; and Maori Hi-Tech Company of the Year.

For more information, go to www.emergencyq.com

Media Release 20 July 2020.

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Contactless Payment

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July 20, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – Business

(PR.co.nz) The global pandemic has posed many challenges for New Zealand retailers who have had to adapt to a new way of doing business. Many shoppers have reduced their spending to essential items-only, like food and medicine, presenting an opportunity to be capitalised on for retailers who sell these items.

Overnight COVID-19 disrupted the payment behaviour of consumers…

Shoppers predominantly look for fast, convenient and safe service – how they can get in and out of stores as fast as possible, and with as little contact with others as possible.

The biggest trend we’ve seen is the adoption of contactless payment, especially tap and go. In fact, 75% of Kiwis claim they find contactless payment more convenient than other payment methods. COVID-19 has only increased the uptake of contactless given the risk of the virus spreading through surfaces. Now, retailers that DON’T offer tap and go risk losing shoppers to retailers that do.

“Now more than ever, payment has become a critical part of the shopper experience, and offering a FAST, CONVENIENT and SAFE payment experience is part of the consumer decision-making process when deciding where to shop,” said Dave Spicer, CEO of Activata Ltd.

“As a result of the global pandemic, we’ve seen hundreds of convenience stores take on contactless payment so as to provide a safe, fast, contactless, and increasingly local retail engagement with their customers.”

Not only have these retailers found their shop foot traffic has increased, but they are attracting NEW shopper types who RETURN time and again, simply by improving the convenience of shopping at their store.

“Typically, shoppers choose convenience stores over supermarkets when they are doing small ‘top up’ shops of essential items, and want to be in and out of the store as fast and as conveniently as possible,” said Nilesh Kumar Shah, owner of Quick Bites Convenience Store in Central Auckland.

“What we’ve found since introducing tap and go is that we’re able to serve more customers faster, giving them a more convenient shopping experience, and making them more likely to return.”

The big advantage of contactless payment methods like tap and go is fast moving queues, increasing the number of customers served, especially at peak times and with less resource, resulting in increased revenues for these stores.

“Based on what we’ve seen over the last three to four-months, it’s fair to say
contactless payment is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity to meet shopper needs. While COVID-19 accelerated this, contactless payment is here to stay and failing to adapt is a missed opportunity for retailers to capitalise upon,” Spicer summarised.

If you’ve been putting off getting contactless payment in your store, the best time to act was yesterday—today this is essential.

Activata has over 15-years experience providing personalised payment experiences for retailers across New Zealand. Activata experts design exceptional payment experiences, and assists with every step of the payment process from shopper experience, queue busting and contactless payment, to eftpos terminals and equipment, and much more.

Contact Activata on 0800 960 00 or visit the website activata.co.nz.

Media Release 20 July 2020.

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The Property Group Limited (TPG) supports the government’s major investment in safe drinking water

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July 20, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – New Zealand

The investment will make a difference to communities across the country. TPG’s Local Government Lead Rebecca Mackenzie says the $761 million investment and announcement of the next stage of the Three Waters Reform Programme is a real step forward in addressing our three water infrastructure problems and identifying solutions for the delivery of these services to communities.

At TPG, we work with our local government clients to support the successful delivery of three water projects through our integrated property, planning and development services. Some of our recent projects include assisting Hastings District Council to secure the key property aspects required to support a new booster pump station in Havelock North and associated infrastructure, in addition to supporting the upgrade of existing and construction of new water treatment facilities in small communities around the district.

“It is exciting to see local and central government partnering to address New Zealand’s three water infrastructure challenges and design the shape of the service delivery reform.”

“Through our integrated property and planning service offering, our team across the country is working hard with our local government clients on projects that will improve the safety, resilience, capacity and flexibility of three water infrastructure. We welcome the funding announcement at a time when COVID-19 has put even greater pressure on our local government clients.” – says Rebecca Mackenzie.

If you would like to know more about TPG, their project or services, visit propertygroup.co.nz, use the contact form, phone 04 470 6105, or email enquiries@propertygroup.co.nz.

About The Property Group Limited
The Property Group Limited (TPG) is New Zealand’s largest independent specialist property consultancy, with 13 offices nationwide. They are proud to offer end-to-end property, planning, and development advice to enable clients to make decisions that add value to their business. From the north to the south, TPG has a variety of experts who are dedicated to providing the full property package.

Media Release on 20 July 2020

Media Contact
Customer service, The Property Group (TPG)
Email: enquiries@propertygroup.co.nz
Phone: 04 470 6105
Website: https://www.propertygroup.co.nz/
Video: https://youtu.be/yPVct5vZoAE

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New book says people have changed their behaviour, therefore stimulus will no longer work

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July 20, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – New Zealand

Described by the Financial Times as a “radical thinker”, the investment manager David Kauders has warned that attempts to stimulate the global economy out of the coronavirus-related recession will do little to alleviate the situation.

Coronavirus has brought an extremely deep recession to the world, which New Zealand cannot escape despite its success in containing the pandemic. The immediate concerns of people are survival: family, health, jobs, a roof over one’s head and food on the table.

Kauders says that despite vows by many governments to “do whatever it takes” to get the economy back on track after the global pandemic, their actions are hampered by something that nobody seems to have taken into account: TOTAL debt. People are now frightened that unemployment could bring serious problems for household finances; businesses are concerned they will never be able to repay new borrowing.

His sombre projection is based on a revolutionary new financial concept he has developed, known as the ‘Financial System Limit’, which provides a more comprehensive understanding of the health of national, and global, economies. This and related concepts are explained in his new book, The Financial System Limit.

The financial system limit can be defined as the proportion of a nation’s economic output spent on interest on debt, above which that debt can no longer be repaid in full. Unlike the traditional focus on government borrowing, the financial system limit is the first theory to consider ALL forms of debt: corporate, banking and personal debt (such as in overdrafts, bank loans, mortgages and credit card debt).

Kauders believes these conditions had already been reached before the pandemic struck. About one-fifth of world economic output was spent on interest – a statistic that Kauders says “nobody previously seemed to be aware of”.

Given this, any attempts to stimulate the economy out of crisis, including encouraging the public to ‘spend, spend, spend’, will fail. In the latter case, this is because consumer borrowing costs remain high while incomes are falling. Rather than splash their cash on restaurants and other luxuries, people will instead concentrate on saving more, borrowing less and paying off existing debts. In societies driven by consumption of goods and services, these are all actions that reduce, not stimulate, economic activity.

The Financial System Limit ISBN 9781907230776 will be published by Sparkling Books as an e-book on 27th July, price NZD 9.95. The book is non-technical, intended for all to read. More information at www.sparklingbooks.com/limit.html

About the author
David Kauders FRSA was educated at Latymer Upper School, Jesus College Cambridge and Cranfield School of Management. He is an investment manager and also contributes occasional articles to the UK financial press.

To contact the author: e-mail info@kauders.ch
Contact the publisher via website www.sparklingbooks.com

Media Release on 20 July 2020

Media Contact
Anna Alessi, Sparkling Books Limited
Email: admin@sparklingbooks.com
Phone: +442032912471
Website: https://sparklingbooks.com

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Modern Style Outdoor Furniture Launches Augmented Reality Website

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July 17, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – New Zealand

Modern Style a leading outdoor furniture specialist is the first to introduce augmented reality (AR) feature to their website for iPhone, iPad and Android smart devices no apps needed.

Augmented Reality Places Virtual Outdoor Furniture in Customers Living Spaces

Simply select the desired product from the website menu

Once the space is scanned the item will appear on your screen and you can move it into the required position using your finger to drag it around. Swivel the item using two fingers to make sure that it is perfectly positioned.

You can walk around the settings, get a sense of scale, colour and style. Being able to visualise the outdoor furniture in your own home gives you the extra reassurance that you are making the right choice.

It is a completely new experience for outdoor furniture New Zealand

“The website AR is a perfect extension of our customer promise, Engaging our customers before and during ensures we exceed their expectations. Outdoor Furniture shopping and visualising pieces in your home is difficult, which is why we saw the need to create a way for our customers to envision settings in their home, make it their own, and buy with confidence,” said Steve Foreman, Director for Modern Style Outdoor Furniture.

The Augmented Reality Website Page enables customers to see if outdoor furniture of interest that will fit within their colour scheme, space, and functional needs.

You can also view 3D settings with full 360 degree vision from their product page from a desktop.

Anyone can now try their designs and take photos, buy the settings they like and share the results with family and friends through the website.

Modern Style Outdoor Furniture opened in 2011, since then they have been supplying their customers with the freshest and latest quality outdoor furniture trends that they personally designed, manufactured and sourced directly.

“It’s great to see a well-loved New Zealand owned outdoor furniture specialist that values innovation and customer experience”

With Showrooms located in Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch offering stunning, uniquely designed, high quality outdoor furniture settings that you can expect to last for many years, knowing you have the best quality at the best price.
They know that investing in high quality outdoor furniture means that it can withstand the elements here in New Zealand, so they make it easy by using state of the art materials in all of the outdoor furniture they sell.

Place virtual outdoor furniture in your home with the click of a button

New products are continually being added. The user-friendly AR website is simple and eliminates the guess work of outdoor furniture shopping.

Try it yourself now https://www.modernstyle.co.nz/ar

Media Release on 17 July 2020

Media Contact
Steve Foreman, Modern Style Outdoor Furniture
Email: sales@modernstyle.co.nz
Phone: 0211771806
Website: https://modernstyle.co.nz
Video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/434553881

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Chinese Hypnotist Performing to New Zealand Audiences

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July 16, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – Auckland

Today marks the beginning of a new Chinese hypnosis service in New Zealand.

Haiming Jing, a former IT engineer began studying hypnosis while working in his IT marketing role in 2012. In 2015, he began the first Chinese hypnotist in New Zealand, offering hypnosis coaching and hypnotherapy to the Auckland Chinese community.

Since 2015, Haiming has amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube and worked in primary schools, community organisations and universities around New Zealand.

2020 marks the beginning of Haiming’s local English-language service, offering consultations targeted towards business-people.

“Personality is a combination of your thinking, behaviour and emotions. Changing your mind, behaviour, and emotions can change your personality. The key to changing your character is to change your mindset. My hypnosis service is one of the best possible ways to achieve that” says founder Haiming Jing.

“If you have anxiety, feelings of fear, lack of motivation, anger, self-blame or low self-esteem, then hypnotherapy could be what’s needed for you”.

Haiming is both a professional hypnotherapist, but also a comedy hypnotist, performing to audiences around New Zealand.

A free no obligation 30-minute consultation is offered to anyone who contacts Haiming.

Media Release on 16 July 2020

Media Contact
Haiming Jiang, The Chinese Hypnotist
Email: haiming@chinesehypnotist.com
Phone: 021830098
Website: http://chinesehypnotist.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36PmKN19kdQ

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NZ Vets behind major new discovery in the treatment of arthritis

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July 8, 2020

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Source: Press Release Service – New Zealand

In a twist on new uses of old things, Arthramid® Vet is a unique and patented 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) for intra-articular injection, and the first PAAG in the world registered for veterinary use. This revolutionary hydrogel contains no active pharmaceutical ingredient and is highly effective, safe and long-lasting. It has been used previously as a dermal filler in cosmetic surgery but early indications are this new application could one day even prevent joint damage.

Arthramid® Vet is injected into the joint of animals where it integrates into the joint capsule of the diseased joint to provide a biocompatible tissue scaffold into which the body’s own tissues grow. This increases the elasticity, strength and stability of the joint resulting in reduced pain and lameness and improved joint function. The first negative effects of arthritis seen in a diseased joint.

The final parts of the research conducted in NZ and Australia were led by two NZ veterinarians and included collaboration with Otago University and local labs to understand the mechanism of action and safety of the product. The product, produced under license in Denmark, is now registered for use in horses in Australia and NZ and signals a move away from anti inflammatories for managing this debilitating disease.

Furthermore, with the welfare of animals, and particularly race horses, becoming a major focus for industry groups the potential to reduce the use of corticosteroids is another significant benefit.

Media Release on 8 July 2020

Media Contact
Dr Jason Lowe, Innovative Medical Solutions Limited
Email: jason@imsvet.com
Phone: 0272814329
Website: http://imsvet.com

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