AI Translation Update + New Tool for Church Meetings

[kenaycock]

Hi Everyone:

Writing to share an update on automated AI machine translation for sacrament and other church meetings. I am also sharing a PDF of a broader "Using Accessibility Technology" training I provided at our Fall 2024 stake conference. The training deck covers doctrine (briefly), assisted listening devices, human interpretation devices, Church policy on use of artificial intelligence, and machine translation. Disclaimer: some self-promotion incoming, but I hope you will agree it is for a good cause!

Our stake has had great need for translation in several languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Haitian Creole. While human interpretation remains the gold standard, there are often occasions where either interpreters are unavailable or interpretation equipment coverage is inadequate. One of our wards supports simultaneous interpretation into three languages, and while possible, it takes a lot of coordination! (Kudos to the ward leaders, members, and missionaries supporting in our stake and elsewhere).

Previous threads have covered several possible AI machine translation solutions, including using Zoom add-ons, Microsoft Translator, translation earbuds like TimeKettle X1, or even Microsoft PowerPoint in captioning mode [1, 2] (thank you, wgotzmann, dave.swartz, markww, and others).

Among the established commercial options, our stake has had the most success with Microsoft Translator. The app is free and available for Android, iPhone, and Kindle devices (desktop version discontinued). See slides 24-25 in the attached training for a visual guide and recommendations, including a custom CSS browser hack to improve caption visibility.

Microsoft Translator works well most of the time. However, there are several pain points and hiccups:

• Caption visibility: By default, captions occupy a small portion of screen real estate. While the mentioned CSS browser hack helps, setting this up for each display device is a little tedious.
• Meeting code exchange: There is currently no way to reserve static meeting links, so a new five-letter code must be generated each time a meeting is initiated. This alone would not be a deal breaker. However, ...
• Disconnects: If the client disconnects, they must rejoin with a new name (mildly inconvenient). If the listening device disconnects, the entire session must be restarted with a new code (not fun!)

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Now, onto the exciting part...
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I never thought I would be here. But, after hitting dead-ends struggling to resolve the issues above followed by several late nights working on this side project, I am excited to share something new—dedicated hardware and software that provides nearly plug-and-play automated text transcription, text translation, and spoken translation via the local meetinghouse WiFi. We call it ChapelTranslate.

Since October 2024, we have deployed the device to all five buildings across our stake. Aside from an issue with an audio cable getting unplugged, it has been working great! The service starts and stops automatically as needed and is available via a static link or by scanning a QR code in the hymnals (thanks to a member for this tip).

Okay. So.
Why am I sharing now?

1. To gauge interest.
2. To recruit beta testers!

If you are looking for a one-off solution (like stake conference twice a year), free tools like Microsoft Translator can work well provided you have the time to set them up and troubleshoot. However, if you need something more reliable, automated, and easy to use week to week, I would love for you to try ChapelTranslate. If you are interested, feel free to reply here, send a PM, or join the waitlist at chapeltranslate.com. We also have a demo video if you would like to see ChapelTranslate in action.

Thank you for reading! I hope the above resources help engage all of our friends and members in the Gospel, regardless of hearing impairments and language barriers.

Br Kenny Aycock
Stake Technology Specialist
Dover Delaware Stake
Sapidus Labs LLC
info@chapeltranslate.com

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Accessibility Training (Fall 2024)
See attached, especially slides 22-25.

Relevant Threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2

[wgotzmann]

This is very interesting - I have been looking at the very same needs and technolgies

We have a Time Kettle unit XI and I have set up Microsoft translate during Stake Conference - its alot of work and setting up to get it to work

We have been feeding the voice into Zoom as a translator - this allows those at any location to receive the choice of a language

I would like to talk some time about where this is and more about the technology

I have one important question - how is this being received by users and those that maybe providing real translation services - I have one individual that seems to frown on the concept as "absolutely not"

This is then communicated to other which have never experienced AI translation

I see this as a real help for even those who have hearing problems - since hearing assistance only helps so much - real time text display helps to include people that are extremely isolated. It is much the same for those without local language skills

Let talk more as I have interest for a simple solution - even if it is not perfect translation.

I also believe that any language translation is just that "interpretation" - all of us are interpreting what we each say all the time hence the reason for speaking so much to trying and convey ideas with a lot of speaking and writing in all our interactions.

The same will be true for AI Translation people will understand much of it and understand how to fill in the gaps from there other experiences and learning.

I strongly believe isolation by language and general understanding is worse than not having something to help close this gap. Try traveling to a foreign country for any length of time (by your self) and you simply can not understand the language. It does not take long to feel very isolated and even lightly depressing.

I am also involved in our local Self Reliance Resource Centre sponsored by our Stake for the area, this is focused on New comers to Edmonton area The difficulties people have just because of language are paramount !

I love the mission it focuses on "Self Reliance" and teaching the programs the church has been providing.