| Boston is heating up as a destination for international | | | | through an ear piece. Some transmitters are infrared |
| and ultra-large conventions. Built by users for users, | | | | – they use invisible light waves to distribute the |
| the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is the | | | | signal across the room. The main use of infrared |
| most user-friendly convention facility in the world. | | | | equipment is in top-secret conferences such as |
| Flexibility in every area lets you decide how to use | | | | government and UN meetings, where the slightest |
| the building to your best advantage. Customize your | | | | chance of eavesdropping cannot be accepted. Since |
| event with: 516,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit | | | | light cannot go through opaque walls, infrared |
| space, 84 configurable meeting rooms, over 300,000 | | | | interpreting equipment is regarded as most private |
| square feet of function areas, eight registration | | | | (so long as you make sure to close the drapes!) |
| areas, and a 40,000 square foot ballroom | | | | The other main kind of translation equipment is FM |
| So if you're going to use the Boston Convention | | | | radio-based. Here, a low-power radio signal on a |
| center for your international meeting, you're going to | | | | specific frequency is sent throughout the room. |
| need to consider renting translation equipment and | | | | If more than one language is being interpreted, then |
| hiring interpreters for your foreign delegates. In | | | | each language has to be on a separate frequency or |
| today's multinational environment, there is just no | | | | channel, and the listeners select the appropriate |
| avoiding this truth. The future is here now! | | | | language they wish to hear on their radio. |
| This article will give you an overview of the | | | | Some tips for making sure your simultaneous |
| translation equipment needed for your international | | | | interpretation event goes easily: |
| event. | | | | 1) Make sure that your interpreters can view the |
| Translation Equipment (or to use its more appropriate | | | | people who are speaking - place them so they have |
| names: simultaneous interpreting equipment or | | | | a good view of the stage or podium, or set up video |
| simultaneous interpretation equipment) is used in | | | | screens for them as a substitute. |
| conferences and meetings to convey the voice of an | | | | 2) Put the booths on risers if you're able to –- |
| interpreter to the listeners. No doubt you've seen | | | | this helps to assure their view is not obstructed by |
| pictures of the United Nations where the international | | | | the audience. |
| delegates each have a little earpiece – that's | | | | 3) Make use of a full booth whenever your budget |
| translation equipment. Specifically, that's the earpiece | | | | allows –- it makes life easier for both the |
| attached to the receiver. | | | | interpreters and the attendees. |
| Here's the way it operates: | | | | 4) Don't try to get by without a technician! Good |
| At the back of the room (or in an adjacent room) a | | | | interpreting technicians are a vital ingredient in the |
| team of interpreters sits in a sound-dampening booth, | | | | success of your meeting. We have learned that |
| listening to the presenter through headsets. They | | | | regular AV techs and well-meaning volunteers cannot |
| actually do the hard part: they simultaneously listen | | | | take the place of an interpretation technician without |
| and interpret whatever they hear into a different | | | | thorough instruction. |
| language. Their voice is picked up by a microphone, | | | | 5) Opt for a company that are experts in translation |
| which directs the audio through an interpreter console | | | | gear. More generic translation services will frequently |
| to a transmitter. | | | | purchase a small amount of translation equipment, |
| The transmitter acts like a tiny broadcast station | | | | but they often don't have the expertise and |
| – it sends a signal out to the room. Each listener | | | | know-how to do a passable job in a wide variety of |
| then hears the interpreter's voice on a small receiver, | | | | events. |