Live Captioning

If you have a hearing loss and struggle to follow discussions in business, education, conference or medical situations, you may benefit from Live Captioning (Electronic Notetaking) services.  This service is also known as Speech to Text Interpreting (STTI) in mainland Europe.

Live Captioning provides real-time access to speech instantly displayed as scrolling text on a secondary device.  Where only one person requires the service, the captioner supplies two laptops - one for the captioner and one for the client to read from (photo 1). Bluetooth networking allows the client to sit anywhere in the room.  Alternatively, text can be streamed to a mobile phone or tablet. 

 Co-working remotely  to provide remote and onsite live captions at DaDaFest 2023

Women presenting on stage with captions on plasma screen to the side.
A detailed record of verbal communication* is recorded by the captioner using shorthand to increase speeds (around 150wpm). Dedicated software then decodes this into full English and delivers the text to the client's screen, enabling them to read the subtitles and follow proceedings in real-time.  

An unedited version of the transcript can be saved by the client immediately.  Alternatively, the captioner will proofread/spellcheck the transcript and email it to the. client within 48 hours.

At conferences, the text can be projected onto a plasma/overhead screen for large audiences (Photos 1 and 3) A projector and screen is also available for hire. Another option is to overlay three lines of text at the bottom or top of the Powerpoint or the main presentation slides (photo 4). 

Captions can be provided in English AND simultaneous automated translation in multiple languages.


* This service is not fully verbatim.



Remote captions 


Remote Captioning delivers real-time subtitles of virtual or in-person 

events anywhere in the world. 


A professional captioner logs onto an audio-visual platform and listens 

into what is said. Their text* is then instantly streamed to the event where 

it will be displayed on a laptop/large screen via a secure server. 


QR codes can also be provided to enable clients to view the scrolling text 

on their personal devices.  


No specialist equipment is needed for this service. All the captioner needs 

is a way of receiving the audio. 


This usually involves providing the captioner with an invite to the meeting 

on whatever VC platform is being used (Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, 

WebEx, Google Hangouts, Streamyard, etc). 


The client will need to have an internet enabled device (laptop, smartphone) 

on which to read the scrolling text.