Take 1, which is well known in the media and entertainment sector for its transcription, access and localization services, will be officially joining the Verbit Company this summer. Take 1 is headquartered in the UK, so the acquisition will help Verbit bolster its growing European presence. This news follows Verbit’s acquisition of UK market research specialist Take Note in March. …
TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media applications in the world, boasting over 1.1 billion active users worldwide. The 15 second to 3 minute videos being created are helping individuals and brands engage and share information in fun, short formats. Professionals posting on the platform can greatly benefit when adding captions for TikTok to their videos, whether recorded…
The professional world has become more remote, leading to a rising demand for audio transcription. More businesses are choosing to transcribe audio to text due to the increasing amount of audio content being produced. Whether it’s recordings from conference calls, HR interviews, Zoom meetings or even podcasts, all businesses can benefit from transcribing audio. Choosing to transcribe audio files to…
What is verbatim transcription? Verbatim transcription is a word-for-word transcription of a recording or a live event. It can be helpful as a frame of reference for an interview, deposition, panel session and much more.Verbatim transcripts capture the exact spoken word, including pauses, stutters and other noises. In transcribing for legal proceedings or court proceedings, verbatim is the standard for…
Most are familiar with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, which have made their way into our everyday lives. However, speech to text technologies have quickly transcended daily life and have found their way into the business sphere. Speech to text software is transforming how individuals and businesses communicate and get work done. In fact, 41% of adults use speech to…
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects sensitive medical information. The US federal statute dates back to 1996, and details standards that prevent the spread of private data without a patient’s consent. HIPAA compliant transcription software When does HIPAA Compliant Transcription Matter?How to Protect Medical Transcripts With HIPAA Compliant TranscriptionConsequences of HIPAA ViolationsSecurity Beyond HIPAA Compliant Transcription HIPAA…
Nearly every team within your business is likely conducting interviews – whether it’s HR interviewing prospective job candidates, marketers who are seeking insights from thought leaders or sales teams hosting meetings with clients to better gauge their needs. Interview transcription is a helpful tool for both in-person interviews and virtual video ones, which are now often the preference of today’s…
Helpful speech-focused lingo and terminology to know If the terms AI, ASR and NLP have you frazzled, you’re not alone. More speech-related acronyms and technologies seem to be popping up regularly, and they’re making their way into the daily vernacular.Here’s a helpful cheat sheet of terms for you to reference. Utilize this list to gain a better understanding of common…
Webinars are being executed on the daily. Successful ones are replacing the need for in-person interactions, creating additional opportunities for engagement, both internally with remote team members or externally with target prospects and relevant audiences. Many business leaders are now upping the ante, investing in platforms like Zoom Webinar, On24, Cvent and the like to drive more interactive, immersive virtual…
This post was contributed by Jacques Botbol, VP Marketing, The Verbit Company.Today, we’re unveiling our new branding and vision, which we released internally a few weeks ago through a global Zoom event (Tonight Show Style) – watch here. Our new branding emphasizes the value that the Verbit Company brings — a suite of companies that provide specialized transcription and captioning…
What sets Verbit apart and allows it to support the accessibility needs of today’s businesses, universities, institutions and agencies? It’s not only its advanced in-house technology; it’s the human element.Verbit has assembled a robust team of professional transcribers who undergo thorough testing and training processes. In 2021, only 6% of transcription applicants were accepted, as Verbit ensures only the top…
In the US, conversations surrounding inclusion and related legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act are occurring with greater frequency. More institutional and business leaders are investing in supporting accessibility as their every action, site page and marketing campaign is being examined under a microscope, especially as they connect more with diverse audiences online.As businesses continue to operate more globally,…
Verbit was ranked No. 1 in Power in Diversity Israel’s 2021 Women in Startups Report for the best representation of women in large companies of 500 employees and more. The report was based on 424 startups and 70 venture capital firms surveyed.Power in Diversity Israel, which commissioned the report, uncovered gender diversity numbers and insights, reasons why diversity, equity and…
Many educators are aware that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key ingredient in the ed-tech tools they’re using or considering purchasing. Fewer can articulate what AI actually is.While AI continues to gain traction in education and in a variety of different industries and business use cases, professionals in K-12 schools often aren’t aware of the benefits it can offer them.…
Today, Verbit announced it has acquired education and government industry veteran Automatic Sync Technologies. Automatic Sync Technologies is renowned for its transcription solution and expertise and was initially developed by a team of experts with a grant from the US Department of Education. The acquisition furthers Verbit’s leading market position in the US transcription and captioning space, as well as…
Scott Ready, Director, Customer Success and Accessibility Evangelist at Verbit, was recently the featured guest on Accessibility.com’s “Accessibility Matters” video series. Ready has worked in the accessibility realm for over 25 years. In his role at Verbit, he currently works with leading universities and institutions to ensure their learning environments are accessible to students with disabilities, among others. Some of…
In the past, students needed to contact university administrators every time a Zoom or web conferencing link for one of their classes changed. It needed to be updated in the system by the school administrator. The result? This process prevented or delayed the accessibility they needed to participate in courses effectively. It also clogged the schedules of administrators tasked with…
Verbit will now provide more Kaltura customers with greater video accessibility. Verbit and Kaltura have expanded their partnership to offer Kaltura customers advanced AI-based captioning, incredible speech recognition technology and fast delivery times to meet the needs of today’s video audiences. Following the shift to virtual events, online learning and remote work brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, more of…
Last year, companies shifted to virtual events out of necessity and under extreme circumstances. As the world emerges from the restrictive environment that the pandemic created, savvy business leaders are using what they learned to build hybrid events to fuel networking opportunities and meet their KPIs. Research states that 96% of marketers see hybrid events as the future. Verbit gathered…
Today, Verbit announced it has closed its Series E funding round at $250 million, bringing the company’s valuation to $2 billion just five years after it was founded. This new round will further enhance Verbit’s market leadership in the transcription industry, as well as the value that the voice AI platform brings to customers who rely on Verbit’s technology and…
78% of people watch videos online every week. As video becomes one of the most engaging mediums for educating, marketing and connecting with audiences, it’s critical for professionals to use it wisely. In partnership with Brightcove Media, Verbit has joined Brightcove Marketplace’s robust partner ecosystem, a platform that allows its users to learn about tools and integrations that extend the…
Verbit won this year’s LegalTech Breakthrough Award in the category for the “Best Use of AI in LegalTech.” More than 1,300 nominations were cast, and Verbit’s leadership is honored that its transcription tools stood out with so many incredible companies to select from. Verbit’s innovative AI offers a key solution to the legal industry’s backlog of cases and growing demand…
As a video accessibility provider, Verbit is committed to keeping up with the most recent trends in online media, especially as the live streaming industry continues to grow rapidly. Verbit is therefore proud to announce its new partnership with developer video platform, Mux. “Mux is democratizing video by solving the hard problems developers face when building video. Verbit is helping…
There’s a lot of talk about international students right now. COVID restrictions remain in play and newly accepted norms have emerged in different ways which education can be delivered. Many institutional leaders are now asking themselves “How are we going to attract the students? What’s the future of international education?” To address these questions, which many in Verbit’s higher education…
Verbit’s Chief Product Officer, Raffi Margaliot, and Senior Customer Success Manager & Legal Strategist, Tony Sirna, will deliver the Closing Keynote address at the Speech to Text Institute (STTI)’s inaugural Firm Owner Academy virtual conference this week. Verbit’s session will be centered on how the migration of legal proceedings to remote amid the pandemic has accelerated legal firms’ and clients’…
With the push for greater web accessibility online, companies like WhatsApp, the most widely used mobile messenger application worldwide, are implementing new features. WhatsApp plans to release an AI transcription tool for its 2 billion monthly active users to access. The feature will allow users to receive auto-generated transcripts for all voice messages sent. WhatsApp’s transcription option aims to provide more…
Learning disabilities affect a large number of the US population with 1 in 5 young students navigating learning or attention issues. In honor of Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, it’s important to be aware of the diversity learning disabilities that exist. There are undoubtedly many individuals that struggle day-to-day without a diagnosis and tailored support, and there’s more that K-12 schools…
Verbit is thrilled to earn a place on TechRadar’s list of “Best Speech-to-Text Services. TechRadar is a respected source for up-to-date technology reviews for businesses. The list features service providers that offer live transcription and captioning solutions for the corporate world and educational institutions. Verbit’s high ranking comes just months after it announced that it achieved the highly coveted unicorn…
55% of people watch video content every day, and 78% of people watch videos online every week. As audiences and consumers spend more time glued to their screens, businesses and organizations are investing more than ever in their video content. Video content creators at brands and businesses are looking to improve the outcomes and engagement of their videos. With this…
TIME Magazine dedicated its latest issue, Education Heroes, to honoring the incredible individuals in the K-12 school system who supported students, parents and each other during a trying ‘pandemic school year’ which tested and challenged us all. TIME’s cover dons a striking image. It showcases well-recognized yellow school buses surrounded by a likely lesser-known group of individuals, but who will…
Verbit’s team recently commissioned a survey, Higher-Ed Accessibility Uncovered, to deep-dive into the accessibility and inclusion measures being taken at today’s institutions. The team wanted to explore the knowledge and decision-making processes of today’s higher-ed professionals to inform our community as they head back to school this fall. Additionally, the team wanted to gain an understanding from students with disabilities…
Slator estimates that the video localization market will be valued around $4.97 billion by the end of 2021. Video localization technologies such as captioning and transcription are being used more than ever before, contributing to this growing video localization market across the globe. To educate business leaders seeking insights on video localization services and technologies Verbit Founder and CEO Tom…
While the US continues to make significant progress in terms of gender equity, it likely comes as no surprise that it’s still falling short. In 2020, it ranked No. 53 in the World Economic Forum’s list of 154 countries based on gender equality, and this year it moved up the ranks to No. 30. However, the majority of improvements made…
Most people become frustrated after waiting at a traffic light for just 25 seconds. Research strongly indicates that modern humans expect unrealistically rapid results. The Internet, two-day shipping, streaming services and the ability to download entertainment on-demand are contributing to an incredibly impatient population. However, there are times when people are right to expect fast turnaround times. For millions of…
For today’s universities, having a strong diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) plan is more important than ever. DEI in higher education requires that schools offer an equal learning experience to all students, regardless of their religion, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, age, political perspective, socioeconomic status, language or (dis)ability. Although the 1960s brought some early forms of diversity training…
40% of all undergraduates in the US are community college students, totaling 8.2 million across more than 1,400 community colleges. Community colleges are higher education’s open door, offering more opportunities for students to earn degrees due to cost, proximity and other factors. However, enrollment statistics and the education offerings provided by community colleges are ever evolving, especially in light of…
Government agencies aren’t using Zoom Commercial, but rather Zoom for Government for their meetings, events and town halls. The platform was granted authority to operate by the Department of Homeland Security and the FedRAMP PMO. However, while guaranteed privacy and compliance with a platform that meets the requirements of FedRAMP Moderate baseline and DOD Impact Level 2 is crucial, it…
July marks Disability Pride Month! With at least 25% of American adults living with a disability, it’s never been more important to learn from one another and embrace each other’s differences in both personal and professional settings. Approximately 61 million individuals live with a disability that impacts major life activities, according to a CDC report. Verbit is fully committed to…
In today’s fast paced world, it is becoming best practice to record and capture internal meetings, classes and events. Business and institutional leaders are also creating and offering transcripts with these records to ensure they are accessible, can be referenced easily later and to engage a variety of audiences. However, these audio and video transcripts are often produced in-house due…
Successful inventions are those that do the jobs that people don’t want to do. For example, Artificial Intelligence is taking over dangerous jobs, like cleaning a nuclear site, and others that are tedious, including scheduling appointments. The good news is that AI will likely create far more jobs than it eliminates. Humans won’t be out of work – they will…
Online learning is making education more attainable to many individuals and greatly enhancing their employability. Individuals no longer need to be concerned about online learning programs not being deemed acceptable by employers. According to a survey of 750 employers in the United States, 61% believe credentials earned online can be of equal quality to those completed in person. As a…
This Friday, June 18, Verbit’s Director of Key Accounts, Kevin Sklar, will present at ICT’s annual Accessibility Summer Camp. The conference is designed to connect professionals and educators who are invested in learning more about accessibility needs and best practices. Sklar will be presenting alongside noteworthy industry leaders from the likes of Blackboard, Google, UC Berkeley and California Polytechnic State…
Verbit joins the likes of Blackboard, CANVAS and Pearson at today’s Online Learning Summit produced by the University of Derby. The event is designed to explore the evolution of online learning and teaching for the future. Today’s event celebrates a decade of designing and developing online learning for a global student body. Delivering effective online education during the COVID-19 lockdown…
It’s June, which means professionals, consumers and students alike are likely “seeing rainbow.” With countless universities and businesses adding a rainbow background to their social media accounts, it’s quite hard to miss. However, it’s also quite simple to ask designers to renovate brand logos. And while the rainbow imagery effectively raises awareness for the milestone that is Pride Month and…
As students continue to learn remotely or in hybrid formats, many best practices and technologies have been uncovered that education leaders and their IT counterparts should consider when live streaming courses via Zoom and other platforms. To optimize the live streaming experience and ensure students’ needs are being met in Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), it is critical to have the…
On the heels of its recent acquisition of VITAC, the Verbit team has exciting news to announce. Verbit has secured $157 million in Series D funding, positioning the company as a unicorn with a valuation of over $1 billion. This marks an incredible achievement just four years after Verbit’s inception. The round was led by Sapphire Ventures, alongside new investors…
Schools are Implementing Technologies that Benefit All Students, Increasing Retention & Graduation Rates Student retention is always a top concern for universities. In 2020, only 41% of full-time students earned their bachelor’s degrees within the standard four-year period, forcing institutions to reevaluate their offerings to ensure their students stay with them through graduation. These numbers have only continued to change…
When COVID-19 hit, many people felt that sitting in a room full of strangers for lengthy depositions was an unacceptable risk. However, depositions help attorneys gather the information that influences future decisions throughout the litigation. To prevent the court system from coming to a standstill, many lawyers turned to remote depositions. At the height of the pandemic, about 90 percent…
When COVID-19 forced schools, businesses and other institutions to go remote, Zoom became a household name. The platform supported millions of meetings, classrooms and government proceedings to allow the world to continue to function in unprecedented times. Verbit launched an integration with Zoom to offer its sophisticated artificial intelligence to provide Zoom transcription and captioning. The result: a much-improved improved…
The transcription market in the US alone was valued at $19.8 billion USD in 2019 and is anticipated to expand by 6.1% from 2020 to 2027. Organizations across the globe generate large volumes of data every day that can be effectively used to obtain valuable insights. Today’s businesses and organizations are using transcription for webinars, research projects, classes, legal proceedings,…
Transcriptions are being used by a variety of industries and more and more individuals are looking to outsource the production of them. For professionals offering transcription services or looking at starting a transcription business, there are many factors to consider. Running a business can be tedious and cumbersome enough, but transcription comes with additional manual efforts and arguably the most…
Many technologies designed to be inclusive fall short. Speakers with non-anglicized names or who have less neutral accents often feel that technology is excluding them. Voice recognition programs like Siri and Alexa frequently misinterpret a speaker’s words. For many individuals, the inability of tech to correctly transcribe their speech is a frustrating result of discriminatory programming. Programming voice recognition is…
Accessibility isn’t just what we do, it’s what individuals at Verbit believe in. Verbit hires individuals who recognize that accessibility is a necessity. Some of our team members have personal experiences with disabilities, while others are working hand-in-hand with university and business leaders to make their offerings more accessible. On a daily basis, we see the importance and the results…
With Global Accessibility Awareness Day coming up this week on Thursday, May 20th, it’s only fitting for the education community to host multiple events focused on this important matter. Verbit’s leadership are investing in events which focus on the idea that accessibility and inclusive design are more important than ever. Accessibility continues to become of greater concern to more stakeholders…
E-commerce accounts for a larger share of the market every year making websites and digital marketplaces increasingly important to business leaders. Online forums present opportunities, but also create questions when it comes to accessibility. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) predominantly addresses accommodations that must be made for physical locations. However, brick-and-mortar shops are becoming less vital as consumers purchase…
In an effort to drive forward its mission to make all video and audio content accessible to everyone through its high-quality captioning and transcription capabilities, Verbit’s leadership team has exciting news to share. Today, Verbit announced the acquisition of VITAC, the largest provider of captioning products and solutions in North America. The acquisition will position Verbit as the No. 1…
Today, transcription is being used in a variety of scenarios and formats. Whether it’s a court hearing or an online class, many professionals, students and consumers rely on accurate transcription to perform their daily tasks and job roles. These transcription services are often accompanied by an interesting, yet challenging counterpart – live captions. This service, which is primarily designed to…
Court reporting agencies are going hybrid. Hybrid model CRAs are using digital technology to support their human transcriptionists. As the world embarks on a new normal, members of the legal profession are learning about the benefits of remote work, virtual meetings, and the integration of advanced technology into their field. The successful innovations are paving the way for a future…
Equal opportunities are a necessity in education, playing a crucial role in people’s personal growth, determining their future career prospects and in general human flourishing. Access to education also shouldn’t be dictated by morally arbitrary circumstances, such as the gender, social class or race of an individual. More institutions are committing themselves to inclusion and disability services are coming to…
The demand for translation services continues to rise. In the past decade, the industry has doubled in size and is now worth over $56 billion dollars in 2021. There are numerous reasons why, including the globalization of business. Content is being consumed online by international audiences and brands need to provide customer service to global consumers. As a result, video…
The UK government has announced a Culture Recovery Fund to help support the reopening and recovery of more than 90 independent cinemas across England. £30m has been set aside for England’s independent cinemas. 92 venues will receive a share of more than £6.5m from the British Film Institute, or BFI, which is distributing funds as part of this support package…
The CARES Act, or Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, was passed by Congress in March 2020. Of the $2.2 trillion allotted to provide quick and much-needed economic aid to the Americans impacted by the pandemic, $14B was given to the Office of Postsecondary Education as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, or HEERF. In January 2021, The US…
Not long ago, those with a visual impairment were restricted. Whether it was in solutions to help them complete day-to-day tasks or in opportunities to learn and secure rewarding careers, equity often was not being provided. With continued enhancements and advancements in assistive technology for visually impaired and blind individuals, the landscape is changing significantly. When given access to the…
The use of artificial intelligence in education has been a growing trend in recent years and is reshaping the industry. For education, digital transformation promises new operating and educational models and the ability to revolutionize an institution’s value proposition and strategic directions. More tech-savvy schools are attracting students and offering them opportunities for more personalized education delivery. However, despite its…
Verbit’s leadership is excited to announce the date for our annual EduALL Virtual Summit: Making Higher Education Work For All Learners for April 22nd from 10am-1:30pm EST. The event will engage technology thought leaders and higher-education professionals focused on crafting courses that work for all students. There will be a special session geared toward K-12 education as well, featuring creative…
In the legal world, audio and video recordings of all proceedings are critical. However, it can be time consuming to scan audio and video file recordings manually to uncover important items which were referenced. Legal transcription is a vital component in meeting depositions, court proceedings, interviews and police investigations. Reliable, accurate transcripts are critical to ensure justice is served, which …
In response to media industry changes and COVID-related needs, more technology is being involved in the media production process to help with remote work. Today’s media production companies and professionals are facing delayed shoots and budget constraints, greater expectations for more on-demand content, FCC compliance requirements and audience desires for personalized content. There’s also a greater need to reach more…
Verbit is thrilled to be partnering with the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) to sponsor the keynote session at the LDA 58th Annual International Conference on February 18th. The event, which will be held virtually in 2021, gathers teachers of special education and general education, counselors, social workers, para educators and special education instructional assistants, psychologists, researchers and college…
Media brands and media producers are tasked with creating and delivering content that informs, entertains and inspires audiences. To do so, media and brand content creators are investing significant resources into the creation of video and audio. However, media and brands are likely missing out on their audience reach. If media professionals aren’t making every effort possible to test out…
This week, Verbit has been partnering with the University Professional & Continuing Education Association for its SOLA+R 2021 event. Verbit has been exhibiting at the event, but is also powering the live captioning of speaking sessions at SOLA+R, the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable. The event engages key campus leaders to focus on the online enterprise from…
On the heels of President Biden’s decision to reverse the former administration’s ban on transgender troops in the military, The White House is further committing to inclusivity and diversity initiatives by providing a sign language interpreter at every press briefing. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced this week that an American Sign Language interpreter will be present at all press…
Assistive technology helps professionals with disabilities by providing them with equitable opportunities to succeed at their jobs. Offering them with access to these assistive technologies is not only the right thing to do for your workforce; it’s required. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an anti-discrimination law which all business owners and HR leaders need to be familiar with…
Inclusion and diversity are top-of-mind topics to business owners and enterprise leaders today. Each year, businesses are held to higher standards and are expected to invest more in these initiatives and in bringing equity to their workforces and advertising. “2020 taught us all a lot about inclusion and why it’s important,” said Ashley Brundage, a well respected speaker, educator and…
Is there a right way and a wrong way to conduct a media interview? You bet, but now that content is an integral part of nearly every business, media interviews are being conducted by more than just media entities. Standard media outlets continue to rely on interviews to produce broadcasts, articles and videos for news audiences, but now leaders in…
Trends in the legal industry have seen a shift toward digitization. Over the last few years, large law firms across the globe are massively investing in legal-tech solutions to gain a competitive edge. That increase has most notably shot up in the last year due to the novel coronavirus. Legal professionals that have transitioned to work-from-home environments are especially dependent…
On March 16, over 250 US colleges and universities came to a grinding halt. Neither the colleges nor students were prepared for campus closures with both ends of the stick facing enormous challenges ahead. Now, the shift is evident, with nearly two-thirds of US colleges remaining either fully or primarily online. Educational institutions have built digital systems at unprecedented rates…
Verbit is excited to feature guest author Jen Krueger to deep dive into the role and importance of the court reporter. The most important person in attendance at any legal proceeding is the court reporter. The faculty and administration of the Captioning and Court Reporting Program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) know this to be true. Without a properly trained…
The need for effective online education and corresponding materials to help remote students succeed has been greatly exacerbated by COVID-19. Making content more accessible to all, especially to hard-of-hearing students, has been one of the main goals of Virginia Tech’s leaders in 2020. As such, VT has been implementing professional captions and transcripts to their materials to enable inclusive access…
The use of Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, is growing at an unprecedented pace. The AI market is projected to grow to $312.4B USD by 2027, according to ReportLinker. It’s critical for businesses to keep up-to-date on the latest trends to determine where they can incorporate this technology to not only increase efficiency, but keep up with the…
We’re excited to announce that Verbit has been named a Red Herring Top 100 Award Winner in North America. The prestigious award recognizes the continent’s most innovative private technology companies of the year. Verbit was selected from thousands of strong entrants. Notable companies, including Alibaba, Skype, Spotify, Twitter and YouTube, have been previously named to Red Herring’s lists. This year,…
With the need for today’s business leaders to reinvent their strategies for lead generation and bringing on new clients, customers and users, many are turning to virtual events. These online events, such as large scale virtual conferences and smaller webinars, are paving the way for lead generation efforts in the face of the pandemic. However, there are certain elements to…
Closing The Gap was founded in 1982 by Budd and Dolores Hagen, parents of a child with a disability. The Hagens recognized and embraced the revolutionary role technology would play in the life of their son and soon thereafter, began their mission to share the information and possibilities with others. The first edition of Closing The Gap and annual event…
Today’s court reporters are charged with multiple responsibilities. These include administering the oath and acting as neutral third party and managing the proceedings to get a clear record with ethics and professionalism to preserve the security of the record. They must also capture the record and preserve the chain of custody and deliver the record to the legal agency or…
The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on business as we know it. Prior to the pandemic, digital transformation and innovation were reinventing nearly every industry and new tools and processes were taking form with the implementation of more technology. Now, business leaders have been faced with the need to operate remotely for the foreseeable future. A report from…
Digital has become a common and integral piece of the legal proceedings conversation. Professionals are looking to become more well versed and educated about existing tools and the realm of digital capabilities. From how to best conduct legal proceedings digitally to how to achieve strong audio to generate the best possible transcript, legal professionals, including those at legal agencies, attorneys…
After news that an LA-based court reporting startup, Steno, closed a $3.5 million seed round led by First Round Capital recently, industry beat reporters from Legaltech News and others reached out to Tom Livne, CEO and Co-Founder of Verbit for his thoughts. As the court reporting marketing shifts and evolves with more remote depositions being executed, greater investments are occurring.…
The public’s expectations of the media industry have shifted greatly with the influx of technology. This growth in technology has provided more access to both live and on-demand coverage. Audiences are now consuming media and news, not just on their TV, but on all devices and platforms. They’re also consuming media in a variety of formats. As a result, the…
The term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ often trips up business leaders in industries which don’t intersect directly with technology. It can invoke images of robots and feelings of machines stealing the jobs of humans. The reality is that AI can help to make their professional and personal lives run more smoothly by removing a lot of the tasks which were previously done…
There has been a significant shift in the legal industry as of late. The ability to implement more technology into legal processes is helping to ensure the justice system stays on track despite the need to social distance. Technology is opening up court reporting and transcription outside of local geographic areas, leaving potential for increased competition and changes in the…
You’re using video to conduct your meetings and keep business moving, but are you using all of the benefits that online video conferencing tools offer? It’s not as simple as just deciding to use Zoom or GoToMeeting, as much as it is to promote clear communication and goals for these calls with your employees and clients. The rise of business…
You’re not likely to encounter a workplace without a ramp or elevator these days. More workplaces are now extending the accessibility measures they put in place for those with visual disabilities to meet additional needs, such as employees who are deaf, hard of hearing, who have learning disabilities and others. A workplace which promotes a fully inclusive environment primes all…
Higher education is experiencing the power of technology more than ever before. Educational technology tools, which were once thought of as forward-thinking or nice-to-have, are now needed to continue teaching students without disruption in the current climate. Emerging technologies for teaching and learning are making a significant impact on the ways students consume course material and universities are being charged…
Verbit has released a new desktop application, Live Room by Verbit, which provides live, interactive transcripts and captions within Zoom web conferencing. The application supports companies and universities, helping them to ensure their online meetings, courses and events are delivered effectively to both comply with legal requirements and meet the needs of all remote participants. “Following the massive growth in…
Accessibility and inclusion should be at the forefront of every higher education leader’s strategic goals. Today marks Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Verbit is highly committed to spreading awareness about the importance of accessibility for today’s students. Access can truly make or break the student experience. All students should be given equal opportunities to succeed and participate in the online and…
The pivot from in-person classes to virtual learning at colleges and universities around the world has been an eye-opening experience. Instructors are quickly realizing the power of video to deliver engaging, personalized learning, while students are settling into video lectures and collaborative conferencing calls. It may be easy to overlook one important aspect – accessibility – during the rush. As…
Today’s business leaders, educators and media professionals are tasked with providing accessible materials to account for a variety of scenarios. From students participating remotely with disabilities to consumers watching news silently, captions and transcriptions are being utilized to make these materials more dynamic and accessible. However, providing basic captions and transcription to ‘check a box’ without utilizing a service that…
As more professionals turn to Zoom to enable their virtual meetings, conferences, training sessions and lectures, they’re becoming more well-versed in the platform and its capabilities. From virtual backgrounds to the ability to add Zoom closed captions, Zoom allows for a variety of functions and customization that are benefitting its users. To help those making the transition to remote work…
Artificial Intelligence and its accompanying technologies have transformed countless manual tasks into automated ones. AI is helping businesses and professionals save much needed time, resources and budgets. AI is now being used to fuel the transcription process. Transcripts were formerly thought of as materials delivered to media outlets after important speeches or to legal professionals in courtroom settings. While these…
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly driven enterprise leaders to rethink the way they operate their businesses. In order to conduct business without disruption, professionals have turned to video conferencing to stay connected with their colleagues and customers. With the need to social distance and work remotely, video conferencing provides a more personalized approach. It serves as the closest alternative to…
More than 800 higher education professionals registered to join Verbit’s inaugural virtual summit, EduALL: Making Higher Education Work for All Learners, last week on April 1st. The event was attended by individuals serving in diverse leadership roles at institutions, including deans, professors, instructional designers, accessibility and disability directors, learning technology and IT professionals, consultants and online learning experts. EduALL aimed…
In a recent piece on Forbes, Paul LeBlanc examined the current challenges facing colleges and universities, which are “scrambling to finish the academic year online, fretting over next fall’s enrollment, and struggling with cash flow challenges.” LeBlanc serves as President of Southern New Hampshire University, one of the largest universities in the U.S. with 180,000 learners, mostly online. He went…
University administrators with responsibilities which fall within the disability services, IT and accessibility departments were formerly faced with the daunting challenge of making the case for embedding more digital technologies into current classrooms to aid more students. Now, with 200 universities and colleges moving their courses online in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the expertise of these individuals is being…
Last week, Eran Fishov, Head of Customer Success at Verbit, represented Verbit as part of a delegation organized by Access Israel to Vienna. The Israeli delegation met with Austrian business leaders and stakeholders, including Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the National Council of the Republic of Austria Parliament, who is an accessibility advocate. As part of the delegation, Fishov presented Verbit’s…
As Verbit aims to provide technology that creates more opportunities for students and professionals navigating disabilities to succeed, we often encounter organizations with missions that inspire our work. We’d like to spotlight one organization, the Global Disability Innovation Hub, which is tackling an array of disability-focused challenges. The GDI Hub consists of both an academic research center and a community…
Providing students with more personalized learning has been a goal of university leaders for years. Experienced higher education professionals understand that each learner brings a unique blend of experiences and expectations to the desk and can therefore benefit from multiple methods of consuming course content. In the past, educators have tried to enlist learning management systems to develop various learning…
Verbit is excited to announce the close of a $31 million Series B round, led by growth equity firm Stripes and with participation from Viola Ventures, Vertex Ventures, HV Ventures, Oryzn Capital and ClalTech. This latest round of funding brings Verbit’s total amount raised to $65 million, following a $23 million Series A round in January 2019. Verbit’s valuation has…
Video streaming is on the rise, increasing from over 972MM video viewers in 2017 to over 1.1 billion in 2020. This number is only expected to increase, reaching 1.3 billion by 2024. When considering the growth of video, it’s important to consider all of the individuals consuming it. From those who are commuting to those who are living with disabilities…
As part of a recurring series, “The Accessible Classroom Redefined,” Verbit hosted a webinar this month to gather higher education decision makers for a live discussion. This episode, Driving Inclusion with Key Partner Institutions, was led by Accessibility Evangelist Scott Ready and featured TCS Education System’s Senior Learning Experience Designer, Lord Giddie. Giddie has been successfully implementing inclusion measures and…
Automatic speech recognition (ASR), is one of the technologies focused on voice that has the greatest impact; it’s transforming the way students learn, employees work and society functions. ASR technology is also creating opportunities to assist specific communities of individuals, such as those navigating life or their studies with disabilities. What is ASR? Automatic speech recognition refers to technologies built…
Leaders in higher education are captioning their content more than ever before. Institutions are utilizing closed captioning services to assist students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as students who retain content better when it’s also presented visually. Unlike open captions, which are displayed on the video by default, closed video captioning services are controlled by the…
A landmark case on accessibility involving one of the most iconic universities was just settled. Four years after litigation began, The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) announced that Harvard University will be instituting a new series of guidelines to make the university’s site, online resources and live events accessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Harvard…
Student retention is often top-of-mind for nearly every university leader, but what happens when initial enrollment numbers decline? Declining enrollment is a significant problem facing the higher education industry. The severity of today’s enrollment decline came to light last month in Boston when Beacon Hill leaders met to debate a bill requiring more financial transparency from higher education institutions. The…
With more stenographers retiring each year and few replacements coming into the field, it feels like every professional in the industry is looking to do more, but with fewer resources. With knowledge of some key transcription productivity tips, professionals can both increase their average transcription speed and service more clients. Transcription Productivity Tips that Improve the Quality of Work Here…
Hundreds of venture capitalists and leaders in the technology community gathered at the Enterprise Technology Summit produced by Globes and J.P. Morgan at Sheva in Tel Aviv on December 3rd. The full-day conference focused on opportunities and challenges in innovation and the modernization of IT systems at leading companies in Israel and around the world. As part of the conference,…
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the changes going on in the transcription industry, you’re not alone. The stenographic shortage has been challenging, and there’s a natural hesitance that comes with embracing new technologies. However, industry professionals who want to be relevant in 2030 can no longer ignore the digital transformation that is occurring in the market. The Need for…
In July, a Florida man was charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Silvia Crespo. He claimed it was an accident and that he’d even tried to save her life, reported The Washington Post. Back in November 2015, an Arkansas man was accused of murdering a friend at home. The man claimed it was an accident that happened while he…
Automatic speech recognition impacts everything from our personal lives to how justice is served in courts to improved student learning. So what exactly is speech recognition? How does speech recognition work across industries that impact our day to day lives, health, education, careers, and chances to thrive? How Did Speech Recognition Begin? It was 1952 when Bell Laboratories presented Audrey,…
Higher education institutions are combining advanced technology and education strategies to improve student achievement. This combination has led to incredible growth in the expansion of personalized learning paths that help students thrive and interactive experiences that further immerse students in the professions they’re pursuing. These strategies are preparing students to work in fast-paced, technologically-driven environments. Arguably the greatest impact of…
Depositions have long been effective discovery tools for cases, eliciting important information and sometimes catching parties in lies. Whether a deposition court reporter uses a stenographic machine or a digital recorder, accuracy in legal deposition transcription services is of the utmost importance. A single word can change the meaning of a sentence, and therefore the entire outcome of a case.…
In a world and society designed for ‘normal’, people with disabilities often find it challenging to access everyday opportunities that many take for granted. This reality is especially evident in higher education. These limitations are evident physically, such as university elevators that are too narrow for wheelchairs, and academically when classes are taught without closed captions and transcriptions for deaf…
Voice recognition technology identifies a speaker and authenticates that he or she is indeed that individual. Unlike speech recognition, which identifies the words spoken, voice recognition analyzes countless patterns and elements that distinguish one person’s voice from another. Voice recognition is now being used in every facet of our lives, personally and professionally. How Is Voice Recognition Used in Everyday…
Digital transformation is making waves in higher education across the world. It changes how leadership manages the campus, it makes data-based automation possible for improving campus operations and student wellbeing, and it differentiates institutions for top tier students who seek innovative education that trains them to succeed in tomorrow’s workplaces, just to name a few of the exciting developments. But…
In today’s world, organizations are inundated with a wide variety of transcription rate structures, which makes it challenging to compare one service provider from another. Therefore, the following quick guide is all about the most common payment structures, what transcription rate per minute and transcription rates per hour organizations can expect to pay, plus what exactly goes into those rates,…
Education has been opening doors to professional and personal growth for centuries, but not for everyone. Therefore, an increasing number of education organizations are tapping into the positive effects of technology on education, realizing that choosing the right tools and methods can be a game-changer for students that have been previously marginalized. To get organizations ready to expand their impact…
Let’s start with a basic, but important question: What is AI? Essentially, it’s the broad discipline of creating smart machines that can perform tasks that are reminiscent of human capabilities such as recognizing objects, texts, sounds, speech, and solving different types of problems. Another more technical term for AI is machine learning. AI is often mentioned as being superhuman in…
Professionals in police departments, security firms, law firms, courts, and government agencies all rely on law enforcement transcription services to effectively do their jobs. This saves time, helps with the submission of accurate evidence, builds stronger cases, and reduces costs. But how does something as seemingly mundane as law enforcement transcription make such a big impact on the legal system?…
Millions of audio and video files are produced every day by businesses and organizations in virtually every industry. In fact, the sheer volume of unstructured data has increased to the point that analysts at Gartner estimate that upwards of 80% of all organizational data exists in these types of formats. In this context, where there is a clear shift from…
The technology revolution has firmly taken hold, impacting virtually every industry. From medicine to retail to education, advanced technology has fundamentally changed the way organizations run, and the legal industry is no exception. Like in many sectors, law firms have had to adapt in order to thrive in this new paradigm and maintain a competitive edge. Courtrooms are also going…
On April 23, 2005, Jawed Karim posted a video of himself online. Although Me at the zoo was not the first video to be uploaded to the web, nor were its 19 seconds exceptionally remarkable, the footage would make history by being the first entry on YouTube. Since then, billions of videos have been shared on the platform, with an…
It’s hard to believe that, even just a few short years ago, people were skeptical about the longevity and stickiness of eLearning. However, the numbers don’t lie. Market research firm Global Industry Analysts had projected that eLearning would reach $107 billion in revenue by the year 2015, and it did. Now, Research and Markets forecasts predict the eLearning industry will…
The justice system has a tendency to move slowly. This centuries-old problem hearkens back to Shakespearean times, with The Bard himself mentioning “the law’s delay” as one of life’s greatest disappointments in Hamlet’s famed “To be, or not to be” soliloquy. While things have certainly improved since then, the concept remains just as relevant today. The bureaucratic inefficiency of the…
A Brief Speech Recognition History From its earliest days in Bell Laboratories to the ubiquitous digital assistants of today, speech recognition has definitely come a long way. Back in 1952, Bell Labs designed its “Audrey” system, which was capable of recognizing digits spoken by a single voice – a remarkable feat for the time. A decade later, IBM unveiled…
AI is the difference-maker According to the online database maintained by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), there are 316 certified CART providers in higher education in the United States, which is insufficient to meet the high demand for this service. Due to their lack of availability, it is hard to book these highly sought-after professionals, which is particularly challenging…
What Are Assistive Technologies? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines assistive technology as any product that helps maintain or improve an individual function. These devices exist all around us. Hearing aids, wheelchairs, eyeglasses, and prosthetic limbs are all examples of assistive technologies Like all technology, these assistive products have evolved over time in terms of their capabilities, and adoption. New…
The Role of the Court Reporter Court reporters provide the indispensable service of a real-time record of depositions, hearings, and trials. Using various technologies, they compile a written, verbatim record of every word that is uttered during a legal proceeding. Court reporters are especially crucial for depositions, in order to capture the details of testimony as a case unfolds. This…
The emergence of eLearning platforms has revolutionized the modern approach to higher education by embodying efficiency, flexibility, and accessibility for all. Studying online provides a way for anyone to learn on-demand, without being tied to a specific course schedule. Some of the top advantages include a flexible learning environment, lower costs, wider course topic selection and freedom to personalize the…
AI technology is defining the new normal in all facets of life. Finding examples of this phenomenon is certainly not a stretch. Digital assistants like Siri and Alexa are relied on by millions to perform simple tasks. Ride-sharing giant Uber leverages AI tech to predict fares, ETAs, and optimal pick-up locations. Facebook seems to know what you’re thinking even before…
Transcription in law is certainly nothing new. But, this decades-old necessity in the legal system has come a long way from the totally manual processes that were once the industry norm. Cutting-edge transcription vendors are harnessing developments in AI speech-to-text technology and incorporating the latest advancements into their solutions. All of this helps to boost accuracy to near-perfect levels in…
It’s been well established that the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing all industries, even those that were once thought to be unlikely to evolve. Some industries are being completely upended, while others are only just getting started by testing the waters with what AI can really do. Above all, AI is at its best when it enables…
We’re pretty sure there’s not a person alive on this Earth who’s never heard of Google. The internet platform has become the leading search engine in the world, setting the standards and raising the bar for digital technology algorithms. Google has since embarked on speech recognition technology which utilizes the concepts behind closed captioning and video transcripts. In recent years…
Online videos have become the norm and one of the most predominant ways of watching online media in the 21st century for the majority of individuals. Gone are the days of checking your TV guide, or even Tele-Text (for those old enough to remember) for the next available screening of your favorite TV show. With online videos, multiple streaming services,…
When trying to figure out the best solution to use for closed captioning and audio/video transcripts, the options are endless. With a wide spectrum of vendors, only a selected few are able to stand out and provide a solution unique from the rest. Below are 5 points to keep in mind when researching solutions for closed captions and audio/video transcriptions:…
Ever sat and wondered what the advantages of transcription actually are? Well, the truth is that unless you need or use transcription and captioning, chances are you’ve been kept in the dark. “Transcribing is one of the fastest growing jobs in the US. Transcription work can be a good choice for people who are retired or who want to earn…
April 2018 – Verbit secures a $11million seed funding, led by HV Holtzbrinck Ventures, Vertex Ventures and Oryzn Capital. Verbit was founded only a year ago by entrepreneurs Tom Livne (CEO), Eric Shellef (CTO) and Kobi Ben-Tzvi (VP of Engineering). The startups operates in the professional transcription market, which is a multi billion dollar market for its various connections to clients at different…
For a moment, let’s consider accessibility and imagine that the year is 1990. New Kids on the Block is churning out hit after hit, Home Alone is the No. 1 movie in America, and the Internet still exists as a hard-to-explain phenomenon (yes, a strange year indeed). And yet, beyond the pop culture references and fun facts, 1990 also marks…
The following white paper aims to give a clearer insight and approach when choosing a transcription and closed captioning vendor. Depending on your own specific needs such as, boosting SEO, or making your videos more searchable some generic questions will need to be asked before selecting a vendor. Selecting a captioning and transcription vendor is not as easy you think…