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Jan 2008:
PROLINGO announces new receiver release at infoComm 2008 – Las Vegas, NV. Other products are still in the final development stages and will hopefully be ready to show at the same time.
Visit us in Booth C3480
October 2007:
ProLingo continues to expand. The whole team will benefit from the new and more efficient building layout designed specifically with ProLingo’s unique processing needs in mind.
At the same time ProLingo will build two additional upscale office warehouse buildings in a traditional design, primarily with the goal to attract more mid-size event service companies to Orlando’s Forsyth Commerce Park which already includes a staging company, a lighting and system sales company, as well as an event caterer.
The new location will be ideal to create some powerful synergies with event related service providers. We hope to attract design firms and a DMC. Buildings will be offered as a vanilla shell and will be available for lease or sale as early as February of 2008.
October 2007:
After submitting a competitive bid, the ProLingo team won the contract to supply the interpretation services needed in support of His Holyness The Dalai Lama at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.
Just a few days after finishing events at the United Nations and a technology leadership event hosted by IBM, the third major Manhattan event relies on ProLingo, this time providing coverage to an audience of 6000 with 1800 receivers on site for English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese.
Special mentionings go to ProLingo’s Lead Project Manager Stefan Brechtel for a great job coordinating all logistics.
September 2007:
“IntelEvent is the leading supplier of rental software for event focused rental and production companies. Audio Visual Rental, Hotel AV, Lighting Rental, Theatrical Rental, Staging Rental, Sound Rental, Back Line Rental, Party Rental, Tent Rental, Special Effects Rental.”
Given the substantial growth we have encountered throughout the years, it became a sheer necessity to more effectively track and manage event resources with IntelEvent.
Apart from an expected increase in our profitability and growth – ProLingo just has to deal with a different business volume today which simply requires a software management solution with capability for multi-location warehouse management, automated inventory control, professional job management practices, and offer clients as well as employees the opportunity to track progress of their events through the web.
“Implementation will be a smooth process, with the advanced computing skills of the staff, clients will start to see the benefit of this database driven software in no time,” Mark Stammel says.
“As General Manager I was worried about the effect a software package has for a business like ours, proud of the personal touch we deliver. A few hours into the training I realized how much closer the team is brought together through this centralized solution. I assemble an order and get automatic suggestions based on the experiences of our own project managers. It’s like having a creative meeting while I enter event data. Now the personal touch has a new personalized support tool. Who can say no to that?”
August 2007:
April 2007:
“We just had to step up and meet our industry clients on their trade grounds”, sais Mark Stammel, ProLingo’s founder and CEO. “After positioning ourselves to cover the most involved industrial applications and being fortunate to have the clientele, it was a matter of necessity to give our cross rental and industrial sales effort a focal point. infoComm had a last second opening and we took it.”
With the display consisting of actual interpreting booths and actual conferencing equipment rented and sold on a daily basis, ProLingo faced a last minute business burst prior to infoComm 2007 and had to call on ListenTech, the importer for BOSCH Microphone Discussion Systems to step in and supply some display models in the very last second. “Clients first”, Steve Roberts, the Audio Visual Partner at ProLingo said, “after all, our relationships reach out in both directions. Clients need us to be big enough to get the manufacturers and importers on our side, and small enough to come up with creative solutions for each of their specialty projects we support.”
Our relationship with ListenTech and the ListenTech team is right on the money.
ProLingo also took the opportunity and used the exhibit to soft launch the introduction of its Las Vegas operations. This will be particularly useful once the success encountered in Anaheim will be due again at infoComm 2008 – Las Vegas, NV.
“Reservations are made, we will be there with DOUBLE the booth size, right next to Sennheiser which was the original developing manufacturer of the intercom interpretation systems, not far from Beyerdynamic which just aquired intercom. Funny how that goes.”
The ProLingo product range has broadened and some products now are manufactured to ProLingo design specs. We will make a great effort to develop a turnkey interpretation system in time for a launch at infoComm 2008 – Las Vegas, NV.
“That will change our alignment with some of the manufacturers a bit, but we have made some great experiences with competing manufacturers who have a product exciting enough to be part of our inventory and client offerings. They now start using our name for their marketing. Long ago we used to list every credible manufacturer name to get some of that glory to shine down on us. We are now working more on being a refence ourselves.” As such, you cannot miss to exhibit at infoComm, the worlds most important trade show in our industry.
2007 MEDIA REPORTS:
Executives from all top tiers of America’s Fortune 500 players had it happen to them. On the give and on the take. Interpretation. And while the US market allowed for simple technical solutions based on Assistive Listening Market developments, the old times in which we just rolled out some Spanish Interpretation are gone for the most part. Oddly enough, particularly since 9-11, more and more conference planners around the globe find themselves in need of manageing groups in as many as 18+ languages at a time. Sounds tough, but with the right gear, and the right talent, good service is available.
Case example: The IBM executives present on stage in English, and participants from all over the world select their own native language via wireless receivers. It gets hairy when all over sudden the Chinese head of delegation gets up during Q&A and speaks his best Mandarin dialect. This is where the system is put to the test as recently in San Francisco during an IBM session targeting strategy and global positioning. The magic words are: FULL RELAY CAPABILITY! This allows interpreters in all participating languages to digitally interface with each other. Work as a team, not just a one-way language facilitator. Without hesitation, the presentor answered the question as it was delivered to his earpiece, with the delegate nodding with content. He received simultaneous interpretation at its best.
The language interpretation system in the conference room was powered by the interkom B2 main unit, affectionally called “the brain” in addition to seven interkom iDL12-2 dual interpreter desks. Mark Stammel, CEO and final decision maker on all equipment purchases for ProLingo, an Orlando based SIM firm sais: “Before we decided to operate with the interkom-system, we virtually had to run miles of cables, interface not really compatible gear and still try to generate a signal good enough for recording, all while clients kept adding and removing language requirements based on on-site registration. The other systems are just not fit for this kind of challenge. Maybe 4-6 languages, but that’s without relay, when the interpreter’s English becomes the source for all other languages while a presentor goes at full speed in Japanese. When that happens, most firms are just clearly unprepared. The interkom-system is the BIG-RIG we were looking for for the longest time.”
And while there may be too many curveballs to list, interpretation appears to finally have come under control for those who know what it takes. Again, Mark comments:”It was not uncommon that we had to send out technicians with double gear just to be prepared for everything. And still there were frustrating times with imperfections in the sound with levels being way off as interpreter voices danced from mumbling to screaming. Interkom fixed that really well so we can truly plug in the recording and walk away. Actually, we still sit there monitoring it all, but with the difference that now we are motivated to rely on the system and actually offer the recording to the client.”
Instead of miles of cables, a single D-sub cable feeds each interpretation booth, connect it to the ID12-2 dual interpreter control offering the interpreter double the convenience while eliminating interpreter/user caused error because they are simply connected to a system automating features in a single digital unit that had to previously be hacked through tons of gear totalling in a 5ft rackmount monster scaling in at 600 pounds.
Prolingo, rental and staging company based in Orlando, Florida took the chance and was first to buy the interkom system for the US market. Prolingo was requested to set up a system with studio audio quality and digital signal coverage in the room via wireless receivers. The other challenge was relay function.
“We were able to set up the i12 Interkom simultaneous interpretation system and the interpreter booths within a few hours”, said Mark Stammel, CEO and president of Prolingo. “The system set-up and ease of use was unprecedented. Interpreters and conference participants were equally impressed by the system, particularly the audio quality. And that’s all that matters. Aside from the fact that we now can confidently open market segments well beyond the 6-12 language barrier. Of course there are other systems out there, we have had them all. But none of them had their engineers sit down with us and really listened to what makes a US event different from a European event in all language aspects, and then made modifications that really guarantee customer satisfaction as we need it all the way. But the best thing is that we can use the same gear for the 50% of our market that works with 1 language in multiple rooms. All we do is connect a power adapter in each session, and off we go. A single piece!”
Small wonder that the demand for the interpretation and translation equipments and services has undergone double-digit yearly increase because of the globalization of the business and organizations, war on terrorism, and a huge influx of non-English speaking people in to the United States.
The concept of translation can be traced back to initial human contact, primarily as a mode of transmitting ideologies, and before the advent of cultural and geographical barriers between humans. The earliest historical records show sporadic translation activities in China in eleventh century B.C., and historians claim that interpreters almost certainly existed in pre-historic times, the period before writingwas even invented.
As noted by Delisle and Woodsworth, et al., “Translators have invented alphabets, helped build languages and written dictionaries.” Among their many accomplishments include the emergence of national literatures, the dissemination of knowledge, and the spread of religions. They have also been recognized as importers of foreign cultural values, and players in great moments of history. In other words, translators have contributed not only to the develop of their societies, but have been “fundamental to the unfolding of intellectual history itself.”
The language interpretation technologies of today have been developed to assist individuals from different linguistic and geographic backgrounds communicate in international conference settings with ease and comprehension. Starting in the early 1960s, European companies began developing technologies for governments and municipals to communicate in multilingual conferences.
Language translation can be either human- or machine-based; nonetheless, interpretation done by a professionally trained interpreter are known to be the only reliable solution in international conferences and meetings, such as those held by United Nations. The International Association of Conference Translators (AICT), founded in 1962 to standardize the working conditions and terms of employment of short-term language staff, is the professional body representing translators, précis-writers, revisers and editors working on a temporary or permanent basis for international organizations or conferences.
The simultaneous interpretation rental market in the United States has grown significantly as a result of globalization and the increasing number of multilateral, multilingual conferences and seminars being held throughout the world. Currently, there are less than ten companies in the United States focusing on this market, but the number of major rental houses looking to break in the market is increasing everyday.
Interpretation Technologies
Depending on the number of languages being translated, there are various solutions currently available for interpretation. In simple terms, the technology works as follows: the interpreter(s) listens to the original language, and then translates it real-time into the second language. The language being translated is then distributed from the base unit of the system through either wired, via radio frequency (RF) or infrared (IR) transmission technology to be heard by the participant.
The desk used by the interpreter(s) can be equipped for either single or dual use – in other words, depending on the number of interpreters needed – the desk can vary in size. The same holds true for the transmission technology, which can either by wired or wireless.
a. Interkom i12 simultaneous interpretation system
Interkom Electronic has been providing solutions for conference and simultaneous interpretation worldwide for over 20 years. Most recently, at an international conference held at the Singapore Expo Center for Herbalife, SIM firm Prolingo (www.prolingo.com) set up 15-channel Interkom i12 interpretation system with 15 interpreter booths.
Interkom i12 main station B2 was expanded up to 15 languages, in addition to use of seven iD12-12 dual interpreter desks with RF body-pack receivers for attendance. Next stop Vienna with 14 languages, then Maui with 18. Client directive: Anything can happen, in any language combination. And loving it!
b. Interpreter booths at Singapore’s Expo Center targeting an audience of 15.000.
Each participant was able to select and listen to the discussions in his/her language of choice via the receiver. With the relay function of the Interkom i12 system, interpreters were able to quickly switch between the original and interpreted output channels.
Adding more B2 units would have made it possible to increase the number of available channels to 24+.
Conference Microphone & Discussion Systems
Demands in the rental market for microphone conference systems with built-in speakers that can be daisy chained without need of automatic mixer are increasing. The iCL conference system is a single daisy chain cable system that can be installed very quickly.
The various speaking modes of the iCL conference system include: request to speak, voice activation, push to talk, and auto mode. The system combines iCL-P president station, iCL-D delegate stations, and iCP-2000 power supply. There are XLR input and output, in addition to tape output in the power supply. The system can be expanded easily to up to 2000 delegate terminals. The digitally controlled iCL conference system – either as an Interkom or OEM product - dominates today’s global market, and is an ideal choice for the economical, yet quality-conscious user.
c. Interkom iCL conference system with microphone and built-in 2-way speaker
To compete in the low-priced segment of the market, Interkom has introduced an iCL Station-Set. The set includes a conference station with built-in two-way speaker, a screw-on gooseneck microphone with a light ring, as well as a six feet long cable with connectors on both ends, all with proverbial Interkom quality. The gooseneck microphone - a new and exciting development, is particularly tailored to fit the needs of conference participants.
d. iCL conference set up in boardroom
In addition to the supplementary programming functions on the delegate stations, the president station of the iCL system also has a time management function, enabling even more efficiency for conference management.
It is not necessary anymore for rental and staging companies to use microphones, mixers, and PA systems for simple set up in boardrooms and conference rooms, yet considering the set-up time, microphone star cabling, and mixing consul operation.
Increasing globalization and worldwide recognition of the U.S. as a major international player has lead many rental houses to focus more heavily on the conferencing and simultaneous interpretation markets. As the number of international events with multi-lingual purposes increase, rental companies are at an advantage to expand the technology solutions they provide to their clients.
Written by Fardad Zabetian, President and founder of Media Vision USA, Inc., a conferencing, electronic voting, and simultaneous interpretation solutions provider, and member of NSCA and ICIA. He holds Master of Engineering degree in Computer & Communications from San Francisco State University.
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