About the Lab: The Otekhnòtshera Ratirihwisaks Etho:onhwentsyáke (OTEKH Labs) is an Indigenous-led research lab in Visual Arts at Western University, working in close relation with Indigenous Studies, the Wampum Learning Lodge, and Indigenous communities and organizations across the region. OTEKH Labs serves as a central hub for advanced Indigenous arts, technology, and research-creation, supporting artistic production, student training, research development, public and community engagement, and long-term technical infrastructure. Hybrid in character, multidisciplinary in scope, and grounded in Indigenous research priorities, the Lab develops projects across media arts, 3D scanning and data visualization, immersive and virtual-reality environments, video and audio installation, sensor-based systems, and relational digital archives. A growing area of research focuses on advanced Indigenous AI, including machine learning, working with large language models, local and community-governed AI systems, Indigenous language revitalization tools, computer vision, generative media, and Indigenous data sovereignty. www.otekh.net
About the Global Partnership: Abundant Intelligences is an ambitious, large-scale six-year research partnership exploring how to integrate Indigenous Knowledges and Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. It is conducted by an international research team, co-directed by Prof. Jason Lewis at the Indigenous Futures Research Centre (IFRC) at Concordia University, Montreal, and Prof. Hemi Whaanga at Massey University in New Zealand. The research team currently consists of 48 co-investigators and collaborators at 13 universities/research institutes and 8 community-based organizations in Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. The Haudenosaunee Pod is located in the OTEKH Labs at Western University and focuses on integrating Haudenosaunee knowledge and AI. The Pod's research activities are focused on the Lawson Site and community engagement in Six Nations of the Grand River. The Pod is currently engaged in expanding community engagement in the region. https://abundant-intelligences.net/