My new secret weapon – the Elgato Stream Deck

I’ve recently invested in a new gadget for remote interpreting, thanks to a recommendation from conference interpreter, Amy Allsop (hello and thank you!) within my interpreting network.

Virtual meetings are now a huge part of my working life, and I’m always looking for new ways to streamline my workflow.

So when I read about the Elgato Stream Deck, I was intrigued.

As the name suggests, the technology was originally for content creators live-streaming on platforms such as Twitch, but more recently it’s been adopted for use by the interpreting community.

The concept is simple. It’s a small desktop console with LCD buttons that act as keyboard shortcuts. These can be customised to perform any command with a single tap.

So rather than having to reach for my mouse and move the cursor towards the ‘mute’ button whenever I want to turn my microphone on or off, I can mute myself instantly by tapping the mute button I’ve set up on my Stream Deck.

I can also use it to switch screens, change language channels and adjust the volume of speakers – all with a single tap.

It’s a simple tweak, but one that has noticeably reduced my cognitive load when remote interpreting – freeing my brain to focus on the job of interpreting.

I use the mini version of the Stream Deck, which has six buttons – I’ve found this is adequate for my needs, but more advanced models with more buttons and dials are available.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

G7 in Siracusa

There was great excitement in my home city of Siracusa (or Syracuse, as it is known in English) last month, when the G7 Agriculture and Fisheries was held there.

My brother, Gianluca, is the founder and director of a leading communications agency in Siracusa, Agenzia Media Uno and Siracusa Press, an online daily newspaper known for its in-depth coverage of local issues and events.

As part of the G7 event media coverage, they captured stunning aerial footage with drones. The result is a unique perspective that truly brings the event to life – go take a watch at the beautiful videos they created!

The video shows the 13th century Castello Maniace, a stone fortress on the tiny island of Ortygia, which is separated from Siracusa by a narrow channel.

The G7 meeting was held within the castle walls, while outside a week-long festival showcased Italy’s cultural and culinary heritage.

The famous Sicilian-born dancer Eleonora Abbagnato, who was once Étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, performed, and there were many stalls serving up fresh Italian cuisine like arancini, a Sicilian speciality. Each part of the island has its own traditional version of these delicious arborio rice balls, coated with breadcrumbs. In Siracusa, they’re filled with beef ragu, peas and mozzarella, and in the centre of the island, they’re traditionally stuffed with chicken liver.

I suspect there was some Pasta alla Norma on offer too. This is penne with aubergines in a tomato and basil marinara sauce, topped with ricotta. I believe it is named for the opera Norma, by the 19th century composer Vincenzo Bellini. If you’re of a certain age, the aria ‘Casta Diva’ from Norma may summon memories of an iconic (and rather steamy) ad for Jean-Paul Gaultier’s perfumes Classique and Le Mâle from the mid nineties.

Interestingly, the Bellini – a cocktail of peach purée and Prosecco dreamed up in a Venice bar in the 1930s – was named for a different Bellini. The cocktail’s colour apparently reminded its creator of a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist (and fellow Venetian) Giovanni Bellini.

Planning a high-level event? Whether it’s the G7 or a local festival, capture every moment with the precision and flair that Gianluca and his expert team bring to any event. From aerial views of landmarks to vibrant celebrations, their media makes an impact.

Contact Gianluca’s communications agency today and make your next event unforgettable!

Frugal innovation and adaptation: The future of interpretation

Mid September I attended the IoT & AI for Frugal Innovation Bootcamp Pitch Day and Award Ceremony at Christ’s College Cambridge, where global talent came together to tackle pressing challenges using frugal engineering, AI, and IoT.

The bootcamp brought together academics and industry experts with brilliant young engineers, doctors, managers and economists from three continents. They were learning how AI and the Internet of Things can be applied to solve global challenges, using the principles of ‘frugal innovation’, which is a way for companies to produce high quality products with limited resources.

The bootcampers worked in small groups to develop some fascinating solutions to three challenges: climate change in agriculture, monitoring blood pressure in resource-limited scenarios and safety at work.

I left the event feeling hugely optimistic. Hearing how they’d collaborated to innovate and harness technology gives me hope that humanity can solve the many challenges we face.

A special thanks to Claudia Peverini (Program Director) for the opportunity, Professor Leandro Pecchia and all the partners for welcoming me into the Bootcamp family, I’m excited to see how these new connections will continue to grow.

Frugal innovation is also a hugely exciting concept. It upturns the idea that you need a large R&D department to innovate. Instead, restraints can actually unlock creativity and ingenuity. I know many of my start-up clients have experienced this, including Patchai who were recently acquired by Alira Health so I am excited to see developments in the coming months.