New technology

Multilingual chats

Incoming questions are translated as they come in by interpreters from all languages covered. The answer is then translated back into the language of the question. You can join a chat with a Web-browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Opera, Safari, Firefox, etc.) with Java enabled: this is what most people do; and with a chat (IRC) application, for those more familiar with chat software.

Videoconference combined with instant messaging

So far, videoconferencing standards have not met the technical requirements for simultaneous interpretation as specified in the ISO-2603 standard. However, when only conventional facilities are available, if participants in remote locations wish only occasionally to put questions or make comments, an "instant messaging" software tool can provide some form of interactivity. Interventions are sent as written messages via the Internet to a workstation located with the interpreters. In the meeting room, the questions that appear on the main computer screen are read out and interpreted. In this way, simultaneous interpretation can be provided to remote locations. Among the several instant messaging tools, "chatting" tools are best. Normal e-mail software cannot be used because of the delays introduced by mail server store-and-forward mechanisms.

Multilingual web casting combined with Internet chat

Virtual conferences often combine several media tools, for example:

• "Web casting” which allows people located elsewhere to follow the conference in any of the languages for which simultaneous interpretation is provided in the meeting room;
• An interactive Internet "chat" session. Remote participants can type questions or comments in their language. If the answer is of general interest, it is forwarded to the panel discussion during the question & answer session; it will be read out (and interpreted) in the meeting room and remote participants will get the answer through the web-streaming. If your question is very technical or not of general interest, a pool of experts will answer you directly on the (written) chat line.

Source: EC, Directorate General for Interpretation