The Future of Conference Interpreting: Training, Technology and Research

University of Westminster, 30 June- 1 July 2006

From Black Box to the Virtual Interpreting Environment

(VIE): another step in the development of Computer Assisted

Interpreter Training

Annalisa Sandrelli University of Bologna at Forlì (Italy)

& Jim Hawkins

Melissi Multimedia Ltd. (UK)

• intensive nature of interpreting courses

• need to recreate the communicative dimension of the conference in class

• heavy reliance on autonomous practice - finding suitable training materials - availability of interpreting labs - little feedback on autonomous work - possible students’ frustration

CAIT (Computer Assisted Interpreter Training) : why?

CAIT: when? how?

• mid-1990s: using multimedia computer technology to enhance the teaching and learning of interpreting = CAIT

• Main approaches: - speech databases/repositories Marius;IRIS; Babels DVDs - dedicated CAIT tools Interpr-It; Interpretations;Black Box - web-based training Moodle; ETI’s interpreting portal - conference system simulator VIE Virtual Interpreting Environment

Black Box 3.0 Melissi Multimedia

spring 2005 (previously available as

part of the Melissi language lab) • downloadable demo:

http://www.melissi.co.uk/blackbox/download/BBXSetup.exe

• currently in use in the UK, Italy,

Belgium, Hong Kong • several institutions have purchased

a small number of licences and are currently evaluating the software

Black Box 3.0 Authoring • word processor:

- exercise templates (comprehension questions, text analysis, glossaries …) - bitmap texts for (scrolling) sight translation exercises - SmartText = text annotations (6 categories)

• easy editing of video/audio clips • adding background noise effects (echo and/or

distortion) • Exercise Wizard to create exercises

(simultaneous, consecutive, liaison, sight translation exercises)

• all files bound up in 1 “.bbx” file • sets of exercises publishable as Modules

Black Box 3.0

User features • icon-based • easy access to modules, exercises,

recordings, etc. • on-screen keyboard and character

map for foreign characters • word processor for written work • integrated Explorer browser

(Internet searches)

Black Box (3.0)

• simultaneous play & recording • fast compression of recordings (Ogg Vorbis,

mp3) for storage on pen-drives • easy “portable stereo” controls • bookmarks in audio/ video clips for later

revision of difficult passages • slowing down speed of SL recordings • Wave viewer to monitor prosody (top:

SL speech; bottom: TL recording) • easy access to annotations (“hot” words)

A step further: VIE (Virtual Interpreting Environment)

• Basic idea: developing a fully-immersive virtual conference centre, along the lines of simulators available in the computer games industry

• simulators (for both business and entertainment purposes) attempt to provide a virtual experience of a real-world activity e.g. Microsoft Flight Simulator

• simulator games very expensive to develop (£ 250,000 – 500,000)

CAVE Virtual reality lab Engineering, University of Bologna

A conference interpreting system simulator: VIE

• First step: developing a simulator of a digital conference interpreting system based on networked computers.

• To be used on-line (live sessions) and off-line (recorded teaching materials)

Advantages • effective means to familiarise with

conventional real-world systems BUT - more durable than analogue systems - cheaper than digital systems

• more flexible and portable: VIE can run successfully on wireless networks, and can be set up in minutes

• distributable: booths and source may be in different rooms for remote interpreting practice

A conference interpreting system simulator: VIE

• can function as a massively reduced-cost interpreting system for real events

• Main components: speaker console, interpreter console and control panel

• Speaker console: - broadcast channel select - listen channel select - request to speak - microphone “live” indicator - mute or cough button - on/off switch

• possible to have live video streaming from cameras

Minimal speaker console

VIE Interpreter console • same functions as the speaker console • possible to shrink it to display, for example, a

PowerPoint presentation alongside it • channel “handover” to simulate 2 interpreters

taking it in turns to work, each with one computer • relay interpreting practice sessions by selecting

appropriate channels • “mock conference” sessions working with students

in other rooms (via LAN) or off campus via an Internet link: - with a broadband (cable or ADSL) system - on faster wireless networks (IEEE 802.11g or 802.11n)

• additional support materials: dictionaries, glossaries, background materials, databases…

• plug-in electronic notepad and pen for consecutive interpreting

Minimal interpreter console

Note-taking tablet

VIE Control Panel • control panel: remote set up & monitoring of

the system - taking channels on or off line - recording some or all channels - controlling speaker consoles - initiating recorded sessions - providing feedback via a separate channel

• all the functions of Black Box to assemble and edit teaching materials (audio, video and text)

• highly-efficient file system (VIF) for distribution of package learning resources to student machines

• grouping teaching materials into packages for individual or group off-line practice : virtual sessions on CD or DVD

Melissi Multimedia Ltd www.melissi.co.uk

Black Box demo http://www.melissi.co.uk/blackbox/

download/BBXSetup.exe

E-mail Annalisa_Sandrelli@hotmail.com jim@melissi.co.uk

Contacts

• Carabelli, Angela (1999), ‘Multimedia Technologies for the Use of Interpreters and Translators’, The Interpreters’ Newsletter, 9: 149- 155.

• Cervato, Emanuela & de Ferra, Donatella (1995), ‘InterprIt: A Computerised Self-Access Course for Beginners in Interpreting’, Perspectives: Studies in translatology 2. 191-204.

• De Manuel Jerez, J. (2003) (coord), Nuevas tecnologías y formación de intérpretes, Granada, Editorial Atrio.

• Gran Tarabocchia, Laura, Carabelli, Angela & Merlini, Raffaela (2002), ‘Computer-Assisted Interpreter Training’, in G. Garzone & M. Viezzi (eds.) Interpreting in the 21st Century. Challenges and Opportunities. Selected papers from the 1st Forlí Conference on Interpreting Studies, 9-11 November 2000, Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins: 277- 294.

• Merlini, Raffaela (1996), ‘Interprit - Consecutive Interpretation Module’, The Interpreters' Newsletter 7: 31- 41.

• Sandrelli, Annalisa & Jim Hawkins (2006), “Computer Assisted Interpreter Training (CAIT): what is the way forward?”, in Proceedings of the Translating and Interpreting Conference: Accessible Technologies, Vic, 30-31 March 2006. [http://jornades.irc-catalunya.org/?sectionid=12]

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2001), ‘Teaching Liaison Interpreting: Combining Tradition and Innovation’, in I. Mason (ed.), Triadic exchanges, Manchester, St Jerome Publishing, 2001: 173- 196.

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2002), ‘Computers in the training of interpreters: curriculum design issues’, in G. Garzone, M. Viezzi & P. Mead (eds): Perspectives on interpreting. Bologna: CLUEB: 189-204.

References

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003a), ‘Herramientas informáticas para la formación de intérpretes: Interpretations y The Black Box’, in J. de Manuel Jerez (Coord.), Nuevas tecnologías y formación de intérpretes, Granada, Editorial Atrio: 67- 112.

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003b), ‘New technologies in interpreter training: CAIT’, in Heidrun Gerzymisch-Arbogast, Eva Hajičová & Petr Sgall, Zuzana Jettmarová, Annely Rothkegel and Dorothee Rothfuß-Bastian (Hrsg.), Textologie und Translation, Jahrbuch Übersetzen und Dolmetschen 4/II, Tübingen, Gunter Narr Verlag: 261-293.

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003c), ‘El papel de las nuevas tecnologías en la enseñanza de la interpretación simultánea: Interpretations’, in A. Collados Aís, M.M. Fernández Sánchez, E. M. Pradas Macías, C. Sánchez Adam & E. Stévaux (eds.), La evaluación de la calidad en interpretación: docencia y profesión, Actas del I Congreso Internacional sobre Evaluación de la Calidad en Interpretación de Conferencias, Almuñécar, 2001, Granada, Editorial Comares: 211-223.

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003d), “New technologies in interpreter training: the state-of-the-art”. In Greensmith Catherine (ed.) Proceedings of the ITI/IALB Annual Conference held at the University of Hull, 23- 24 November 2001 (CD-Rom).

• Sandrelli, Annalisa (forthcoming) ‘Designing CAIT (Computer-Assisted Interpreter Training) tools: Black Box’, in L., Jiang, S., Buhl, S., Bazzanella, and K., Mysak (Eds.), Challenges of Multidimensional Translation. Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.

References