SALT LAKE CITY, May 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, American Business Awards® announced Sorenson’s AI-powered phone captioning app, Olelo by Sorenson, has been named the 2023 Gold Stevie® Award winner in this year’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Solution category.
The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.
Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 13.
"We are thrilled to receive this recognition for Olelo by Sorenson," said Rick Kreifeldt, Chief Technology Officer of Sorenson, the leading provider of accessible and inclusive language services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and diverse communities. "Through cutting-edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing, we have the power to revolutionize the lives of those with hearing loss, providing a communication experience that is not only functionally equivalent but also effortless."
This year, more than 3,700 Stevie Award nominations were submitted for consideration in a wide range of categories. For more than two decades, the Stevies have recognized excellence in business and are widely considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.
More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.
“What makes Olelo unique is its use of artificial intelligence (AI) for Automated Speech Recognition (ASR),” one of the anonymous judges commented. “ASR recognizes speech on two fronts: at the acoustic level, where it ‘listens’ to the sound of a spoken word and produces text corresponding to that sound, and through natural language processing models that provide a contextual framework for analyzing the broader meaning of combinations of words.”
Olelo provides real-time captions for phone conversations, making it easier for people with hearing loss and who need captions to use the phone to place and receive calls. By utilizing speech-to-text technology, Olelo transcribes conversations in real-time, allowing users to read along as they listen. The app is designed to work with various phone systems and is available for free on both Apple Store and Google Play. With its simple interface, users can adjust the font size and color of the captions to their preferences and save transcribed conversations for later.
Olelo offers a variety of additional benefits. The app is built with one of the fastest speech-to-text recognition software available, ensuring users see words in real-time as they are spoken. In addition, Olelo stores a history of captioned calls on the user's device for later review. And Olelo is provided at no cost to users as it is supported through a federally funded government program that provides captioned phone service for people with hearing loss who require captions to use the phone.
Sorenson’s commitment to innovation in communication technology has been a driving force since its inception twenty years ago. Olelo reinforces Sorenson’s position as a leader in the communication industry, providing cutting-edge solutions that enable people with hearing loss to communicate more confidently and effectively connect with others in a meaningful way.
“It is very gratifying for us to be able to recognize the achievements of such a wide variety of organizations, teams, and individuals in the 21st ABAs, and we look forward to bringing them together in New York on June 13 to celebrate with them," said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards.
Download Olelo by Sorenson here.
About Sorenson
Sorenson is one of the world’s leading language services providers, combining patented technology with human-centric solutions. We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for underrepresented people through communication solutions for all: call captioning and video relay services, video remote and in-person sign language and spoken language interpreting, translation, real-time captioning, and post-production language services. Our company impact extends beyond the connections we support. Under Sorenson’s Impact and ESG Vision and Action Plan, we’re reviewing our carbon footprint, addressing accessibility and advancement barriers for Deaf employees, and implementing a supplier diversity program. Sorenson is a minority-owned company committed to expanding opportunities for underserved communities and championing a culture of belonging. For more information on how we advance human connection, visit sorenson.com or es.sorenson.com.
Press Contact
Ann Bardsley
Director of Public Relations
Sorenson 801-287-9400
abardsley@sorenson.com
Disclaimer
CaptionCall and Olelo by Sorenson is available in the United States only. FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON. IP captioned telephone service may use a live operator. The operator generates captions of what the other party to the call says. These captions are then sent to your phone. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. No costs are passed along to individuals who qualify for the service. The CaptionCall phone and Olelo app remain the property of Sorenson in order to provide ongoing support, service, and upgrades. Patent information: www.Sorenson.com/Legal
If you choose Sorenson as your default provider, you can port your existing 10-digit number to Sorenson from another provider or Sorenson can provide you with one for the geographic area where you live or work. If you later change your default provider, you can port your number to that provider. When selecting Sorenson, you must provide to Sorenson the physical address (i.e., the Registered Location) from which you are placing the call, so that Sorenson can properly route any 911 calls you may make. If you move or change your location, you must notify Sorenson immediately. You can update your Registered Location from your Sorenson videophone by calling (801) 386-8500 or by visiting sorenson.com/support/vrs/manage-account. Sorenson will confirm receipt of your Registered Location information. Emergency calls made via internet-based TRS may not function the same as traditional E911 service. For example, you may not be able to dial 911 if there is an internet-service failure or if you lose electrical power, and your 911 call may not be routed correctly if you have not updated your Registered Location. For more information on the process of obtaining 10-digit numbers and the limitations and risks associated with using Sorenson’s VRS to place a 911 call, please visit Sorenson’s website: sorenson.com/legal.
