from black box to the virtual interpreting environment
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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
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