Innovative model of a simultaneous translation service, consisting in a cloud-based software platform that delivers audio translations to venue audience through automated managed Wi-Fi networks.

Project Information

ST WI-FI

Grant agreement ID: 784345

DOI

10.3030/784345

Project closed

EC signature date 28 September 2017

Start date 1 October 2017

End date 31 May 2019

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Europe In A Changing World - Inclusive, Innovative And Reflective Societies

Total cost

€ 1 104 227,50

EU contribution

€ 772 959,25

Coordinated by

ABLIO S.R.L.
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ST WI-FI (Innovative model of a simultaneous translation service, consisting in a cloud-based softwareplatform that delivers audio translations to venue audience through automated managed Wi-Finetworks.)

Reporting period: 2018-06-01 to 2019-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

- 1.1 The need
Whenever some participants of an event or meeting (either members of the speakers’ panel or the audience) don’t speak the same language, some sort of simultaneous translation system has to be set in place.
Current professional simultaneous translation systems are based upon specific IR (infrared) equipment which include a number of dedicated control units, interpreters consoles, radiant panels, plus headset receivers for each participant. These systems need to be rented and properly installed and set up at each event at quite relevant costs.
Notable, multi-language interpreting functionalities are not available within current popular web-based meetings platforms

- 1.2 The solution (objectives)
Objective of the ST WI-FI project is to produce Ablioconference: a complete simultaneous translation system for live conferences and events:
• a cloud-based software platform where event organizers can run all operations related to the configuration, setup, management and distribution of a simultaneous translation service through standard computers.
• audiences receive and listen to the translation feeds through apps on their own smatphones or mobile devices.
• translation audio feeds are distributed to audiences through customized Wi-Fi networks, easily configured and managed from the platform itself.

- 1.3 Impact
ST WI-FI project overcomes current limits of standard Wi-Fi networks by operating through dedicated, easy to install Wi-Fi networks, using cheap off-the-shelf devices, adding new functionalities and service opportunities for event organizers and venue managers.
It enables and manages seamless integration of the same simultaneous translation functionalities within any virtual events, thus facilitating access to any interested parties, fostering remote participation to live events of multi-language audiences.
Interpreters don’t anymore need to operate on-site, thus making better and more profitable use of their time and enhance their life quality.
By reducing costs and complexities associated to live interpreting services, ST WI-FI is a valuable tool for all initiatives aimed to facilitate social integration, communication and dissemination of information within different cultural, scientific, social, political and business contexts.

- 1.4 Conclusions of the action
The end result of our activities has been the production and delivery of Ablioconference: a complete simultaneous translation system for live conferences and events which is fully compliant with the original objectives of the project and is available to EC officers for testing and demonstration purposes.
(URL) of the project's public website: https://ablioconference.com

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Activities have been conducted respecting the original WP structure as described in our DoA.

Our objective is to market Ablioconference globally. Since the launch of Ablioconference we have opened new agencies in United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan. Our existing offices in United States are taking care of the North American territories while from our Rome headquarters we currently handle Europe and all remaining regions.
Listed below the results of our marketing activities, compared with the goals as set in our earlier plans, outlined in precedent deliverables D5.1 and D5.4.

• Completion of at least two pilot events. OUTREACHED. Besides the two events directly serviced by us, there have been a dozen of pilot events organized and managed by our Resellers.
• Media & PR. At least 5 press-releases. At least 20 articles published on relevant media. REACHED.
• VAR Program. Reach 1500 prospects through direct marketing (at least 25% one-to-one). OUTREACHED. We reached over 2000 prospects through direct marketing with over 35% one-to-one meetings or calls.
• More than 50 VARs or Partners registered at the VAR Program and active. ALMOST REACHED. 40 VARs registered.
• Event Organizers/End Users. A profiled list of at least 5000 prospects, reached through direct marketing. PARTIALLY REACHED. We reached over 3000 prospects through direct marketing campaigns.
• More than 50 Event Organizers/End Users registered and active. ALMOST REACHED. 40 Event Organizers registered.
• Active and lively activities on social media, user groups and vertical blogs. PARTIALLY REACHED. We have a presence on our social channels, but at slower pace than initially planned.
• Educational. Reached 50 language schools/universities/language associations. REACHED.
• Our brand is known and recognized within the MICE market, as a result of our participation to Fairs and Exhibitions, international media coverage, extensive presence on social and media channels. REACHED.
• An active marketing and commercial presence at least in the entire Western European and North American markets and territories. REACHED.
• Active negotiations with at least 3 web conferencing providers. REACHED. We currently have active conversations with Cisco, Arkadin and Civicom
• A trained support team running CRM operations. REACHED. A trained support team is currently taking care of CRM operations.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

3.1 Results beyond expectations
Ablioconference has been originally conceived and designed as a cloud-based software platform, equipped with functionalities for managing the local Wi-Fi network, in order to simplify its use by non-experienced users.
Along the road we have greatly enhanced this concept by creating the Wi-Fi Broadcaster module, a software module to be installed on-site which enables the local router to overcome the limitations of concurrent users and bandwidth consumption found in Wi-Networks operating in standard TCP/IP mode, as we have described in Deliverable D3.1 document.

3.2 Expected results
Ablioconference has some unique features, not available on any other competing product has:
• the capacity to serve events with large audiences by using a single router, enabling full control over the reliability and performance of the Wi-Fi networking
• the capacity to operate entirely on-site and be totally independent from the potential idiosyncrasies of existing local Internet connectivity
• the capacity to support live events and also web-conferences
• the capacity to work within any third party web-conference platform
• the possibility to engage and use interpreters from the same platform
• educational version, to be used for training and testing in Language Schools .

3.3 Expected impact
Relevant benefits:
• Budget: Our solution sensibly reduces costs.
• Time saving: Our solution sensibly reduces setup time (and related costs).
• Smaller crews:. With our solution, traditional simultaneous translation, headsets delivery/collect crews just disappear.
• Better interpreters’ management. ST WI-FI greatly simplifies their management : their hiring and scheduling can be performed within the platform itself. Interpreters can operate by a remote location
• Interpreting services integrated within the web-conferencing platforms already adopted by their organizations.
Ablioconference will also open new markets, being adopted by a wide range of potential customers so far excluded for budget or technical constraints, creating new opportunities for social inclusion, business relationships and knowledge dissemination. The Educational version is facilitating all practice, training and examinations sessions in Language Schools and Universities, which today cannot afford to buy and install the exisiting equipments.

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