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 Forl (Italy) & Jim Hawkins Melissi Multimedia Ltd. (UK) intensive natureintensive nature of interpreting courses the conferenceneed to recreate the communicative dimension of the conference in class autonomous practiceheavy 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; ETIs 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: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 simulatorssimulators (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. on-line off-lineTo 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 speaker console interpreter console control panelMain components: speaker console, interpreter console and control panel Speaker console: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 handoverchannel handover to simulate 2 interpreters taking it in turns to work, each with one computer relay interpretingrelay interpreting practice sessions by selecting appropriate channels mock conferencemock 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 g or n) support materialsadditional support materials: dictionaries, glossaries, background materials, databases plug-in electronic notepad and penplug-in electronic notepad and pen for consecutive interpreting Minimal interpreter console Note-taking tablet VIE Control Panel control panelcontrol 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 off-line practicegrouping teaching materials into packages for individual or group off-line practice : virtual sessions on CD or DVD Melissi Multimedia Ltd Black Box demodownload/BBXSetup.exeContacts Carabelli, Angela (1999), Multimedia Technologies for the Use of Interpreters and Translators, The Interpreters Newsletter, 9: Cervato, Emanuela & de Ferra, Donatella (1995), InterprIt: A Computerised Self-Access Course for Beginners in Interpreting, Perspectives: Studies in translatology De Manuel Jerez, J. (2003) (coord), Nuevas tecnologas y formacin de intrpretes, 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 Forl Conference on Interpreting Studies, 9-11 November 2000, Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins: Merlini, Raffaela (1996), Interprit - Consecutive Interpretation Module, The Interpreters' Newsletter 7: 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, March [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: 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: References Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003a), Herramientas informticas para la formacin de intrpretes: Interpretations y The Black Box, in J. de Manuel Jerez (Coord.), Nuevas tecnologas y formacin de intrpretes, Granada, Editorial Atrio: Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003b), New technologies in interpreter training: CAIT, in Heidrun Gerzymisch-Arbogast, Eva Hajiov & Petr Sgall, Zuzana Jettmarov, Annely Rothkegel and Dorothee Rothfu-Bastian (Hrsg.), Textologie und Translation, Jahrbuch bersetzen und Dolmetschen 4/II, Tbingen, Gunter Narr Verlag: Sandrelli, Annalisa (2003c), El papel de las nuevas tecnologas en la enseanza de la interpretacin simultnea: Interpretations, in A. Collados As, M.M. Fernndez Snchez, E. M. Pradas Macas, C. Snchez Adam & E. Stvaux (eds.), La evaluacin de la calidad en interpretacin: docencia y profesin, Actas del I Congreso Internacional sobre Evaluacin de la Calidad en Interpretacin de Conferencias, Almucar, 2001, Granada, Editorial Comares: 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, 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