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< Back SeamlessM4T Massively Multilingual And Multimodal Machine Translation While recent breakthroughs in text-based models have pushed machine translation coverage beyond 200 languages, unified speech-to-speech translation models have yet to achieve similar strides. Meta Facebook 22 Aug 2023 What does it take to create the Babel Fish, a tool that can help individuals translate speech between any two languages? While recent breakthroughs in text-based models have pushed machine translation coverage beyond 200 languages, unified speech-to-speech translation models have yet to achieve similar strides. More specifically, conventional speech-to-speech translation systems rely on cascaded systems composed of multiple subsystems performing translation progressively, putting scalable and high-performing unified speech translation systems out of reach. To address these gaps, we introduce SeamlessM4T—Massively Multilingual & Multimodal Machine Translation—a single model that supports speech-to-speech translation, speech-to-text translation, text-to-speech translation, text-to-text translation, and automatic speech recognition for up to 100 languages. To build this, we used 1 million hours of open speech audio data to learn self-supervised speech representations with w2v-BERT 2.0. Subsequently, we created a multimodal corpus of automatically aligned speech translations, dubbed SeamlessAlign. Filtered and combined with human labeled and pseudo-labeled data (totaling 406,000 hours), we developed the first multilingual system capable of translating from and into English for both speech and text. On Fleurs, SeamlessM4T sets a new standard for translations into multiple target languages, achieving an improvement of 20% BLEU over the previous state-of-the-art in direct speech-to-text translation. Compared to strong cascaded models, SeamlessM4T improves the quality of into-English translation by 1.3 BLEU points in speech-to-text and by 2.6 ASR-BLEU points in speech-to-speech. On CVSS and compared to a 2-stage cascaded model for speech-to-speech translation, SeamlessM4T-Large’s performance is stronger by 58%. Preliminary human evaluations of speech-to-text translation outputs evinced similarly impressive results; for translations from English, XSTS scores for 24 evaluated languages are consistently above 4 (out of 5). For into English directions, we see significant improvement over WhisperLarge-v2’s baseline for 7 out of 24 languages. To further evaluate our system, we developed Blaser 2.0, which enables evaluation across speech and text with similar accuracy compared to its predecessor when it comes to quality estimation. Tested for robustness, our system performs better against background noises and speaker variations in speech-to-text tasks (average improvements of 38% and 49%, respectively) compared to the current state-of-the-art model. Critically, we evaluated SeamlessM4T on gender bias and added toxicity to assess translation safety. Compared to the state-of-the-art, we report up to 63% of reduction in added toxicity in our translation outputs. Finally, all contributions in this work—including models, inference code, finetuning recipes backed by our improved modeling toolkit Fairseq2, and metadata to recreate the unfiltered 470,000 hours of SeamlessAlign — are open-sourced and accessible at https://github.com/facebookresearch/seamless_communication . https://ai.meta.com/research/publications/seamlessm4t-massively-multilingual-multimodal-machine-translation/ For more: NLP, AI, Machine Learning, Audio, Standards Previous Next

< Back The Cloud Under The Sea The industry responsible for laying the cables for the internet traces its origins back far beyond the internet, past even the telephone, to the early days of telegraphy. It’s invisible, under-appreciated, analog. Few people set out to join the profession, mostly because few people know it exists. The Verge 19 Apr 2024 Want a career connecting the world? An immersive long read about laying the cables that the internet and we all rely upon. The home of the Fourth Portal, St Andrew's Church, is dedicated to those who work and travel the seas. This excellent long read follows the journey of those who repair the cables of the worldwide internet, revealing a fascinating life and opportunities for employment to see a whole new world. ___ "St Andrew's Waterside Church Mission for Sailors, Fishermen and Emigrants, 1864-1939 was established in 1864 to serve merchant seamen, fishermen and emigrants passing through the parish of Holy Trinity at Milton-next-Gravesend on 'sound Church principles', (ie 'high' or mainstream rather than 'low' church within the Church of England)." ( https://mar.ine.rs/stories/st-andrews-waterside-church-mission/ ) ___ “It hasn’t changed in 150 years... The Victorians did it that way and we’re doing it the same way.” "The industry responsible for this crucial work traces its origins back far beyond the internet, past even the telephone, to the early days of telegraphy. It’s invisible, underappreciated, analog. Few people set out to join the profession, mostly because few people know it exists. Others come to the field from merchant navies, marine construction, cable engineering, geology, optics, or other tangentially related disciplines. When Fumihide Kobayashi, the submersible operator — a tall and solidly built man from the mountain region of Nagano — joined KCS at the age of 20, he thought he would be working on ship maintenance, not working aboard a maintenance ship. He had never been on a boat before, but Hirai enticed him to stay with stories of all the whales and other marine creatures he would see on the remote ocean. Once people are in, they tend to stay. For some, it’s the adventure — repairing cables in the churning currents of the Congo Canyon and enduring hull-denting North Atlantic storms. Others find a sense of purpose in maintaining the infrastructure on which society depends, even if most people’s response when they hear about their job is, But isn’t the internet all satellites by now? The sheer scale of the work can be thrilling, too. People will sometimes note that these are the largest construction projects humanity has ever built or sum up a decades-long resume by saying they’ve laid enough cable to circle the planet six times. The world is in the midst of a cable boom, with multiple new transoceanic lines announced every year. However, there is growing concern that the industry responsible for maintaining these cables is running perilously lean. There are 77 cable ships in the world, according to data supplied by SubTel Forum, but most are focused on the more profitable work of laying new systems. Only 22 are designated for repair, and it’s an ageing and eclectic fleet. Often, maintenance is their second act. Some, like Alcatel’s Ile de Molene, are converted tugs. “One of the biggest problems we have in this industry is attracting new people to it,” said Constable. He recalled another panel he was on in Singapore meant to introduce university students to the industry. “The audience was probably about 10 university kids and 60 old grey people from the industry just filling out their day,” he said. When he speaks with students looking to get into tech, he tries to convince them that subsea cables are also part — a foundational part — of the tech industry. “They all want to be data scientists and that sort of stuff,” he said. “But for me, I find this industry fascinating. You’re dealing with the most hostile environment on the planet, eight kilometres deep in the oceans, working with some pretty high technology, travelling all over the world. You’re on the forefront of geopolitics, and it’s critical for the whole way the world operates now.” The industry’s biggest recruiting challenge, however, is the industry’s invisibility. It’s a truism that people don’t think about infrastructure until it breaks, but they tend not to think about fixing it, either. In his 2014 essay, “Rethinking Repair,” professor of information science Steven Jackson argued that contemporary thinking about technology romanticizes moments of invention over the ongoing work of maintenance, though it is equally important to the deployment of functional technology in the world. There are few better examples than the subsea cable industry, which, for over a century, has been so effective at quickly fixing faults that the public has rarely had a chance to notice. Or as one industry veteran put it, “We are one of the best-kept secrets in the world, because things just work.” https://www.theverge.com/c/24070570/internet-cables-undersea-deep-repair-ships For more: Security, Infrastructure Previous Next

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Tom Spurging Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs SKRONK #176 15 July 2025 SKRONK #177 2 September 2025 SKRONK #178 16 September 2025 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Ian MacLachlan Trombone Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs Flimflam 28 May 2025 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Andrea Bolzoni Guitar Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs ImproVox #01 8 July 2024 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Sophie Sleigh-Johnson Spoken Word, Electronics & Tapes Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs ImproVox #06 5 February 2025 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Isabel Anders Piano Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs London Improvisers Orchestra #38 9 July 2025 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Liv Vova Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs SKRONK #177 2 September 2025 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Dave O’Connor Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs SKRONK #4 19 July 2016 SKRONK #5 9 August 2016 SKRONK #1 31 May 2016 SKRONK #2 21 June 2016 Performer notes, message or style description http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Ronnie McGrath Poetry Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs Boat-Ting Oct18 1 October 2018 Boat-Ting Oct 2018 http://Website or social media email or phone number

All Improv Perfomers All Improv Gigs Richard Hughes Accordion Performer Bio (Max 1000 characters) London and South East improv gigs Flimflam 28 May 2025 Boat-Ting Sep24 2 September 2024 Boat-Ting Nov24 4 November 2024 Boat-Ting Sep 2024 http://Website or social media email or phone number

Gravesend Innovation Showcase 2024 events, locations, talks, speakers and times. < Back Enhancing Student Engagement Start Time 11:00 Running Time 20 Minutes Location 9. Gravesend Library Event Type Talk About the Event Introduction COVID-19 forced a shift from conventional to virtual learning environments across higher education, prompting educators to adopt new technology-based strategies. This talk examines global perspectives on students' acceptance of eLearning technologies and provides insights and recommendations for enhancing engagement and adapting educational practices in a post-pandemic world. More on the event lead Senior Lecturer/Programme Manager (MSc International Business Management) I am currently a Senior Lecturer and Programme Manager in the business faculty, teaching postgraduate students at the University of Sunderland in London. I attended the Institute for Hospitality Management (IPAS) in Rome and graduated in 1986 from West London University. In 2015, I attained an L7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership at Bromley College HE. In 2017, I earned an MBA with distinction under the tutelage of Dr Thorben Hanel-Muhs. I am also a fellow member of the Institute of Hospitality (IoH), a Chartered Manager, and a fellow member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). I am also a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). My career started in hotels after graduation, and I have worked with global organisations in a variety of senior and executive management roles such as Food and Beverage Director, Front of House Director, and Regional Account Director. Although I have predominantly worked in the UK and Italy, I have also held posts with corporations in France and Switzerland. While in Switzerland, between 1984 and 1986, I was in charge of managing all hospitality services for the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) center of excellence in Zurich and the European Head Office in London. While in Italy, from 1993 to 2001, I was a member of the board of Directors for Princess Pallavicini in Rome, managing two of the Princess organisations. In 2001, I began working with Compass Group Plc, initially as a General Manager and then moved to other roles, reaching the height of my career with the company as Regional Account Director. In this role, I was able to extend my knowledge to strategically support the division with a multimillion-pound business. The role engaged with client retention, sales, and achieving the company’s strategic vision and advantage. In 2019, I left the industry and entered Academia as an Associate Lecturer, predominantly specialising in Business Strategy, Strategic Leadership and Management, and International Human Resource Management. As a Senior Manager in the industry, I have been exposed to a significant variety of subordinate challenges, from pay-related issues to the lack of professional pathways, from financial to non-financial benefits. I have felt compelled to research the issue and present to the industry a possible solution to deliver not only a better-prepared workforce but, more so, a more inclusive and diverse mix and a much more motivated workforce, which would deliver quality of service and product with a professional approach, enhancing the longevity of allegiance between employee and employer. Event Information This event is free. Suitable for aged 15+ The session would be valuable for anyone exploring the future of education technology adoption, particularly in developing strategies for learner engagement in virtual environments. The session will be attractive to educators, academic researchers, higher education administrators, instructional designers, and those involved in education technology. It's also suitable for policymakers, corporate trainers, and business professionals interested in understanding how digital tools can enhance learning engagement and student retention in post-pandemic educational settings. ___ Even more information ___ COVID-19 caused institutions across the sector to transition from conventional teaching and learning environments into virtual settings. Amidst this paradigm shift, academics have adopted a range of technology-based strategies to support online learners. However, low attendance, engagement, and participation continue to challenge the execution of eLearning across the higher education (HE) sector. Within this context, there has been growing interest in understanding the acceptance and adoption of technologies in education from the learners’ perspective. This has led to an increased focus on technology acceptance models as a theoretical lens to examine attitudes and beliefs relating to eLearning. Motivated by these environmental shifts, this study aims to capture themes and perspectives in educational literature worldwide, presenting future considerations for students and practitioners as we emerge from the pandemic. By systematically reviewing global educational literature, the study provides valuable insights and considerations for both students and practitioners as the HE sector transitions out of the pandemic. The study is guided by the central question: What influences learners’ acceptance and continued use of educational technologies during forced emergency conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic? Based on these findings, we share recommendations for education technology adoption in the HE sector. Previous Next