New 3D posters lean into empathy and engagement—making it easier to help missing people
When technology meets compassion.

A little AI can go a long way.
When the Amber Alert came out in the 1990s, pictures of missing children on the backs of milk cartons became a thing of the past. But still, we see posters of missing people line telephone polls, grocery store windows and community bulletin boards. And what’s more, they continue to be easily ignored. Perhaps it’s time for another revamp.
Missing People, a London based charity, created digital billboards showing moving 3D portraits rather than static photos. Blinking eyes, head tilts, the works. You remember the double-take you made when you first discovered iPhone’s “live photos”? It feels a bit similar.
Not only that, but each bright pink “poster” has a clear, easily scannable QR code that can be used to spread the word about a missing individual on social media. With its immediacy and global reach, social media has had an ever-growing role in recovering missing persons. Having an easy way to share across social media platforms seems like an obvious improvement already.
This combination of technology and eye-catching visuals is all part of an initiative to get people more engaged in the missing persons search. After all, our fast-paced modern world makes it easy to turn a blind eye to what pops up in our periphery. How many times have you strolled past a traditional missing persons poster before forgetting it the minute you go to TikTok?
You’ll also notice that the words “help find” replace the word “missing.” This too is by design.
Anita Braga, behavioral science consultant at Influence at Work, which led the research for the project, explained that this subtle tweak can create a distinctly different outcome. “Very often people do want to act, but they feel like they don't have the means to, they feel a bit overwhelmed by the situation,” she said, according to The Independent. “Giving a clear call to action is a way to make them feel empowered and also feel empathy towards the person they're looking for.”
An example of a traditional missing persons poster.
www.nps.govIt makes sense. Usually a poster with the word “MISSING” in big bold letters feels … less than hopeful. In addition to dread, sadness and alarm, there tends to be this finality to the situation. This person is missing, if not worse. That’s that. Language is such a powerful tool. It’s pretty amazing that when used intentionally, language can turn passive sympathy into compassionate action.
These interactive posters are still too new to truly test their efficacy, but they are getting some buzz. The Independent also reported Steve Martin, chief executive of Influence at Work, saying, “Even if a couple of dozen extra people see that image, they connect with it, they feel some empathy towards it, that could make the difference and it could help a family who has had their whole life not just disrupted but destroyed because they don’t know where their loved one is.”
This project feels like innovation at its best. Technology often disconnects us from one other, but it also has the potential to bring us closer. Who knows what impact this revamp will have, but the very notion that minds are coming together to use AI in this way feels like a positive move forward.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."