The initiative aims to support responsible open science while improving privacy protection.
Steeds meer onderzoekers in onder meer taalwetenschap, communicatiewetenschappen en andere disciplines werkt met audiovisuele data, waaronder interviews, observaties in de klas en opnames van interacties in het dagelijks leven. Tegelijkertijd blijven veel opnames ongebruikt omdat privacyregelgeving het delen ervan bemoeilijkt. SYNAPSIS biedt praktische tools om deze drempel te verlagen en data toegankelijker te maken voor toekomstig onderzoek.
“Video- en audiogegevens zijn essentieel om menselijke communicatie te begrijpen,” zegt hoofdonderzoeker Mark Dingemanse (Radboud Universiteit). “Met SYNAPSIS maken we het mogelijk om data veilig te delen en tegelijkertijd de privacy van deelnemers te waarborgen. Zo versterken we open science op een verantwoorde manier.”
Automatische anonimisatie
An increasing number of researchers in fields such as linguistics, communication science and other disciplines work with audiovisual data, including interviews, classroom observations and recordings of real-life interactions. At the same time, many recordings remain unused because privacy regulations make sharing complex. SYNAPSIS provides practical tools to lower this barrier and make data more accessible for future research.
“Video and audio data are essential for understanding human communication,” says principal investigator Mark Dingemanse (Radboud University). “With SYNAPSIS, we make it possible to share data securely while safeguarding participants’ privacy. In this way, we strengthen open science in a responsible manner.”
Automatic anonymisation
Through a secure online environment, researchers can upload recordings and anonymise them in just a few steps. The platform uses technology to mask faces and voices and remove identifiable features while preserving important information such as movements, gestures and interactions. No programming knowledge is required, and the system can be used both in the cloud and locally.
According to data steward Henk van den Heuvel (Radboud University), this will help researchers handle sensitive data more effectively. “By better protecting personal information, it becomes easier to manage audiovisual data according to FAIR principles and to share it responsibly.”
Training and digital skills
In addition to technology, SYNAPSIS also focuses on training and support. In collaboration with partner universities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will organise several training events where researchers, data stewards and support staff learn how to work with audiovisual data in a privacy-conscious way - from data collection to archiving. Communication researcher Bogdana Huma is involved in organising the Masking Lab, a one-day workshop for research support professionals.
“Our goal is to make innovative machine learning accessible to researchers without a technical background,” says researcher Babajide Owoyele (Radboud University). “In this way, we strengthen digital skills across a wide range of disciplines.”
Collaboration between universities
SYNAPSIS is a collaboration between Radboud University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Tilburg University, University of Amsterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam, with support from SURF, DANS and international partners. The project is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) through a programme for Thematic Digital Competence Centres (TDCC).
Over the next two years, the platform will be tested at multiple universities, and more than one hundred researchers and data stewards will receive training in privacy-conscious data management.
Read more on the NWO website