AirScript is a hand-held device that provides theatregoers with subtitles in a variety of languages. It was designed by Show Translations, a company that specializes in live entertainment translation, and built by Cambridge Consultants, a leading technology and product development firm.[1]
The device was launched in November 2009 at the musical Hairspray at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, where it received positive feedback from the audience and the press. Since then, it has been used in several other West End shows, such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.
The AirScript device offers subtitles in eight languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese. The subtitles are synchronized with the audio and displayed on a small screen that can be adjusted for brightness and contrast. The device also has a headphone jack for users who prefer to listen to the translation. [2]
The AirScript device was created to attract more tourists to theatres who may not understand the language of the play.[3] It was also intended to benefit Deaf and hearing-impaired patrons who can use the device to read English subtitles.[4] The creators of AirScript had a vision of making theatre more accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of their linguistic or hearing abilities.
References
edit- ^ "AirScript translator beams live theater subtitles over the air". 26 November 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "London West End show goes multi-lingual". Archived from the original on 2010-04-16. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
- ^ media_access (2010-11-22). "New subtitling device launched in British theatres". Media Access Australia. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
- ^ media_access (2010-11-22). "New subtitling device launched in British theatres". Media Access Australia. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
 | This technology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This stagecraft related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |