Computer Assisted Live Transliteration Augmented Spoken English to ASL Interpretation
From the Desk of Dr. Bill during Fall Semester 2020:
I'm posting the following as a historical note. Years from now this will seem quaint or even so basic as to be trivial -- but right now it is rather wondrous.
Recently I was in an online meeting and found myself watching the computer generated live English transcription more than the live interpreter.
Then when the computer generated text didn't make sense I'd look up at the terp window to see what the terp chose to sign for that concept.
Computer-assisted ASL interpretation (electronically / automatically generated text displayed under a live ASL interpreter) is a reality "now" (for many Deaf in industry, government, and/or higher education).
It is amazing to be able to sign something in a meeting, the interpreter voice it to the group, and then within a second or two be able to read what the interpreter voiced. It is also wonderful to be able to check to see if the interpreter is able to (in
general) keep up with the speakers (by comparing the interpreting to the live computer-generated transcription) or if they are leaving out information.
This is not "someday." This is not "in the future."
This is "now" and it is getting better and better as time goes on.
Before you start trashing the accuracy of the live transcription -- think about the fact that part of this process involves or can involve the Hearing speaker also being able to read the transcription and self-correct. When the Hearing speaker sees that
the computer misinterpreted -- the Hearing speaker repeats or restates the concept until they are satisfied that their message is been "transliterated" correctly into English text.
Before you start pointing out to the Deaf fellow with the doctorate in Deaf Studies that many Deaf are not bilingual and still need / prefer / want spoken-English to skilled signed ASL interpretation my response is "duh."
I'm not talking about replacing skilled ASL interpretation. I'm simply pointing out that "augmented interpretation" is real, viable, and happening right now!
William G. Vicars, EdD
9/21/2020
p.s. Seems to me eventually we will wear contact lenses or glasses that will "live transcribe" what people around us are voicing. Maybe we will simply have a neural chip that takes care of it.
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