An alternative to the interpreter booth
With Waavoo, translation reaches the audience through their eyes instead of their ears: attendees read the speaker’s translation live, on their own phones or on the room’s screen. No booth to set up, no headsets to hand out. It works when the audience follows a speaker; for two-way exchanges, you still need interpreters.
What does an interpreter booth involve?
- A team. The professional standards of AIIC, the international association of conference interpreters, call for, as a general rule, at least two interpreters per language and per booth, taking turns. To interpret a conference from one language into two others, AIIC’s team strength table calls for at least two booths and four interpreters.
- Equipment. Permanent or mobile booths meeting ISO 17651-1 and ISO 17651-2 (2024); interpreter consoles and a distribution system, covered by ISO 20109:2025; a receiver and headset for every attendee who follows the interpretation.
- Logistics. Room for the booths, setting them up, a technician during the event, and handing out then collecting the headsets.
It is the right setup for many events. But when the audience mainly needs to follow a speaker, there is another way.
What changes without a booth?
- Attendees read instead of listening, on their own phones or on the room’s screen. No receivers, no headsets.
- The equipment fits on a table: a laptop connected to the room’s sound system and to the internet, wired if possible.
- The room stays as it is: no booth to build, no space to set aside at the back.
- A session can also serve deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees: it then shows captions in the speaker’s own language (French to French, for example) instead of a translation. Doing both at once takes two sessions.
The setup and equipment are covered on our live translation for conferences page.
Booth, remote interpreting or Waavoo?
| Criterion | On-site booth | Remote interpreting | Waavoo |
|---|---|---|---|
| What attendees get | An interpreter’s voice, in a headset | An interpreter’s voice, in a headset or an app | The translated text, on their phone or the room’s screen |
| In the room | Booths, console, transmitters, receivers and headsets, a technician | Streaming platform, headsets or phones, a technician | A laptop connected to the sound system and the internet |
| Team | Interpreters for each language, taking turns | Interpreters for each language, working remotely | One operator |
| Several languages at once | Yes, one booth per language | Yes, one channel per language | One language per session; more sessions subject to availability |
| Two-way exchanges | Yes | Yes | No: translation follows the room’s microphone |
| Captions for deaf or hard-of-hearing attendees | No, unless a service is added | Depends on the platform | Yes, with a captioning session in the speaker’s language; a second session if you also translate |
When should you keep interpreters?
- Two-way exchanges: debates, negotiations, questions from the floor in the asker’s own language.
- Several languages at once for a large multilingual audience, when everyone must follow in their own language at the same moment.
- Diplomatic, legal or medical settings, where a professional interpreter answers for their translation.
- Attendees whose first language is a sign language: captions do not replace an ASL, LSQ or LSF interpreter.
We do not publish an accuracy figure yet. Until then, judge for yourself: ask us for a demo using an excerpt of your own content. Waavoo is priced per session hour and per language; audience size does not change the price. For a large audience, let us know in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to hand out headsets?
No. Attendees read the translation on their own phones, through a web link or a QR code, or on the room’s screen. There are no receivers or headsets to hand out and collect.
Can we combine interpreters and Waavoo?
Yes. Nothing stops you from keeping interpreters for a debate or a Q&A, and using Waavoo for the talks where the audience listens to a speaker.
How many languages can we serve without a booth?
One translation language at a time per session, out of seven. Serving two languages at once takes two simultaneous sessions, subject to availability. Just ask us.
Do attendees have to keep their eyes on their phones?
They can also read the room’s screen: projection mode shows the translation in large type with no interface at all. Everyone picks what works best for them.
What happens to the audio?
It is never recorded: speech is turned into text in real time and discarded immediately. Captions and translations are deleted at the end of the session.