Live captioning andtranslation with Speaksee Soundshape 1 Pro, ready for the EuropeanAccessibility Act
Accessibility becomes mandatory, and rightly so
Starting in 2025, the European Accessibility Act will come into effect. This legislation requires organizations to make products and services accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
For events and conferences, this means that communication, information, and spoken content must be more easily available to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who speak another language.
The law calls for conscious choices in both technology and organization. It is not only about translation or interpreting, but about creating an environment where everyone can follow the information, regardless of language or hearing ability.
The role of the Speaksee Soundshape 1 Pro
In collaboration with Speaksee, IFS Audiovisueel works with the Soundshape 1 Pro, a system that instantly converts spoken words into written text. The technology is designed for situations where clear communication is essential, such as conferences, council chambers, meetingcenters, and livestreams.
With the Soundshape 1 Pro, organizers can:
- Provide live captions: conversations, presentations, and panel discussions are automatically displayed on screens, tablets, or smartphones.
- Offer live translations: participants can follow the spoken text in their own language.
- Provide transcription: deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees can read along in real time.
- Store transcripts: all sessions can be saved for documentation or follow-up purposes.
- Integrate with existing AV systems: the system connects to a mixer or microphone line and can also be used to add captions to livestreams.
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Speech recognition is highly accurate, with are liability rate between 95 and 99 percent. Before an event, the system can be trained with specific words, names, or technical terms, ensuring that even complex or international names are displayed correctly.
The translations are continuously monitored by artificial intelligence (AI), maintaining a consistently high level of quality even during longer sessions or events with multiple speakers. The technology currently supports over 160 languages, including regional dialects.
Accessibility for everyone
The strength of the Soundshape 1 Pro lies not only in translation but in inclusive communication. Where a human interpreter often serves only a small part of the audience, this system makes spoken text visible to everyone.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing participants can follow along via transcription, multilingual guests can read the translation in their own language, and organizers can make the full transcript available afterward.
This creates an accessible event where everyone can participate equally, without the need for extensive technical setups oradditional staff.
Also ideal for permanent installations
The Soundshape 1 Pro is not only suitable for temporary setups but also an excellent choice for permanent installations. The module is designed to fit into a 19-inch rack, making it easy to integrate into existing technical infrastructures.
Thanks to its straightforward operation, the unit can be started up, configured, and used within seconds. This makes it a practical addition to venues that regularly host presentations, council meetings, or conferences.
Ready for the future with Auracast
Speaksee continues to develop the Soundshape line toward integration with Auracast, the new Bluetooth technology that enables direct audio streaming to hearing aids, smartphones, and other personal devices. This will make accessible audio even more widely available, also outside traditional AV setups.
(Read more:https://www.ifsaudiovisueel.nl/en/ringleiding-auracast)
A step forward in inclusive communication
With the introduction of the European Accessibility Act, the need to make events and fixed installations accessible to everyone is growing rapidly. The Speaksee Soundshape 1 Pro offers a practical and reliable way to meet these requirements, with a focus on quality, simplicity, and ease of use.
IFS Audiovisueel is an official reseller of the Speaksee Soundshape 1 Pro
For more information or a no-obligation demonstration, please contact our team. We are happy to advise on the best setup for yourlocation or event.
