Ever since simultaneous interpretation took the place of consecutive interpretation as the most frequently used form of verbal translation, there has been a slow but steady trend towards what is now known as RSI, Remote Simultaneous Interpretation.  As a general rule, the interpretation booths have always been positioned in the meeting room affording a direct view of the speakers and the screens, and this still remains the best possible scenario in which to provide quality interpretation, especially for large-scale multilingual events. However, developments in communications technology, and the increasing use by business of videoconferencing, webcasting, web streaming and the like, have necessarily required the conference interpretation industry to adapt.

Sometimes the meeting room is too small to accommodate the interpretation booths. In such cases, placing the booths in an adjacent room can be a perfectly viable solution. However, given that the interpreters have neither the benefit of a direct view of the room nor immediate contact with the organisers, the technical service takes on an even more important role. The interpreters must be provided with high-resolution monitors showing both the speaker and the screen(s); the sound transmitted must be reliable and of high quality; and a technician must be specifically assigned to the task of monitoring the images and sound transmitted to the interpreters, and be able to troubleshoot as soon as an issue arises.

Communication technologies such as videoconferencing and webcasting can be used in a traditional conference setting to transmit the interpretation to any participant not attending in person. However, the corporate world and public sector alike are moving away from systematic face-to-face meetings, and interpreters are now being asked to translate in situations where all the participants are in remote locations. Typically, we are talking about short presentations, a corporate message or a quarterly stock market analyst report, and this form of remote interpretation can be very successful, offering cost-effective, seamless translation into multiple languages. That success is, however, dependent on several important conditions being met: first and foremost, it is advisable to work with a webcasting provider who has experience of events with simultaneous interpretation and who can provide the necessary technical set-up for the interpreters; second, it is crucial for the interpreters to receive all relevant documentation well beforehand; and finally it is vital for the sound to be of at least equivalent quality to the sound quality in a non-remote setting. Bear in mind too that this form of interpretation may be subject to a copyright fee for the interpreters, especially if the sound files are posted online or stored for subsequent use.

The development of interpretation software platforms is now offering the prospect of the interpretation service being totally removed from the site of the conference. New software programs allow the interpreters to work from a “hub” (a centre with booths and television screens) or simply from their homes, bearing in mind, of course, that interpreters working in the same language booth should never be physically separated. While these platforms can be a useful tool for the delivery of a corporate message or a short monthly conference call, offering better sound than Skype or the telephone, these technologies are in their infancy and should be approached with caution. Calliope-Interpreters has done extensive testing of the most promising of these tools and is monitoring developments closely.