Limerick's Translit rolls out interpreters on wheels

The device provides 24/7 access in hospitals to live video interpretation in more than 200 languages

Founder and CEO of language services provider, Translit, Alex Chernenko (centre) with Tatsiana Skrabatun (left), finance director and Julija Tihonova, key account manager showcasing the ‘Interpreter on Wheels’. Picture: Brian Arthur

Limerick translation firm Translit is rolling out a new interpreter-on-wheels service for medical facilities in Ireland.

The device is the first of its kind in Ireland and provides 24/7 access to live video interpretation in more than 200 languages, making it useful in many settings where language can be a barrier to communication, including healthcare and immigration.

The audiovisual device is being introduced to the Irish market by Translit but is already in use in 18 hospitals across Britain in both private and NHS settings. 

The unit is easily manoeuvrable across hospital wards and has an average connection time of less than 30 seconds, allowing patients to be understood from the moment they arrive, streamlining diagnosis, improving patient outcomes and saving time for medical staff. 

It offers almost instant on-screen access to its pool of 6,000 interpreters, allowing interpretation to be mediated by a human, and not by subtitles or AI.

Census 2022 recorded that 10.6% of the population on the island of Ireland speaks a language other than Irish or English at home, and of these, 13% report having poor or no English language skills.

CEO of Translit, Alex Chernenko, believes there is a growing need for quality interpretation services. 

“The language barrier can act as an obstacle to a number of public services and government departments, and is felt most acutely in a healthcare setting. The ‘Interpreter on Wheels’ is a game-changer for hospitals. 

It not only accelerates access to qualified interpreters but also enhances safety by reducing the need for additional personnel in clinical spaces.

The device uses an internal communication card that does not rely on mobile phone connections or the hospital's communication or internet network, keeping both patient data and the line of communication secure. 

Inbuilt high-quality microphones and speakers facilitate precise and accurate transfer of information between interpreter and patient or clinician, minimising the potential for details to be misheard, misunderstood or lost in translation.