AI glasses deliver real-time theatre subtitles
Designed for inclusive live theatre, the glasses undergo testing with full rollout planned this autumn.
An innovative trial at Amsterdam’s Holland Festival saw Dutch company Het Nationale Theatre, in partnership with XRAI and Audinate, unveil smart glasses that project real-time subtitles in 223 languages via a Dante audio network and AI software.
Attendees of The Seasons experienced dynamic transcription and translation streamed directly to XREAL AR glasses. Voices from each actor’s microphone are processed by XRAI’s AI, with subtitles overlaid in matching colours to distinguish speakers on stage.
Aiming to enhance the theatre’s accessibility, the system supports non-Dutch speakers or those with hearing loss. Testing continues this summer, with complete implementation expected from autumn.
LiveText discards the dated method of back-of-house captioning. Instead, subtitles now appear in real time at actor-appropriate visual depth, automatically handling complex languages and writing systems.
Proponents believe the glasses mark a breakthrough for inclusion, with potential uses at international conferences, music festivals and other live events worldwide.
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