Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) is a technology-enabled service where professional interpreters provide real-time spoken translation of a live event from a remote location, rather than from an on-site interpretation booth. Attendees access the interpreted audio through a digital platform, app, or device, selecting their preferred language from available channels. RSI emerged as a practical alternative to on-site simultaneous interpretation in the late 2010s and became standard practice after 2020.
The RSI market is projected to reach $3.5 billion by 2033, growing from $1.2 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate of 15.8% (OpenPR, 2025). This growth reflects a fundamental shift in how multilingual events are delivered: interpretation is no longer constrained by which interpreters can physically travel to the venue. RSI platforms connect event organizers with interpreters anywhere in the world, expanding language availability while reducing costs by 30-60% compared to traditional on-site simultaneous interpretation.
RSI Defined
RSI sits within a family of interpretation services that event professionals should understand.
Simultaneous interpretation (SI) is the practice of translating speech in real time as the speaker talks, with the interpreter listening and speaking at the same time. Traditionally, SI requires interpreters to be physically present in soundproof booths at the venue.
Remote Simultaneous Interpretation (RSI) applies the same real-time translation process, but the interpreters work from a remote location, connected to the event via an internet-based platform.
Consecutive interpretation is the practice of translating after the speaker pauses, rather than simultaneously. It requires no specialized equipment but doubles the session length.
The distinction between RSI and on-site SI is operational, not qualitative. The same interpreters, using the same skills and certifications, perform both. The difference is where they sit and what technology connects them to the event.
Key RSI Platform Providers
- KUDO: Purpose-built RSI platform with AI-assisted features and a large interpreter marketplace
- Interprefy: Enterprise RSI platform serving UN agencies, EU institutions, and major conferences
- Interactio: RSI platform popular in European markets with strong Zoom and Teams integrations
- Zoom Interpretation: Built-in interpretation channels within Zoom, available on paid plans
- Wordly: AI-powered translation platform (not traditional RSI, but competing for the same use case)
How RSI Works
Technical Architecture
An RSI setup has three connected components.
Event side (venue or virtual platform): The speaker’s audio is captured by microphones and routed to the RSI platform. For in-person events, this requires a direct audio feed from the venue’s mixing board. For virtual events, the platform captures audio directly from the video conferencing stream.
Interpreter side (remote location): Each interpreter receives the source audio through the RSI platform’s interface, which provides controls for volume, channel switching (for relay interpretation), and handoff between interpreter partners. Interpreters work in pairs, switching every 20-30 minutes to maintain accuracy and prevent cognitive fatigue.
Attendee side (reception): Attendees select their preferred language through an app, web interface, or dedicated receiver device. The interpreted audio streams to their headphones or device speakers with a 1-5 second delay from the original speech.
Latency and Quality Factors
RSI introduces latency that on-site SI does not. On-site interpreters deliver with less than 1 second of delay. RSI platforms add 1-3 seconds of technical latency from audio routing and internet transmission. Combined with the interpreter’s natural processing time (1-2 seconds), the total delay is typically 2-5 seconds.
Quality depends on three factors:
- Audio quality: Interpreters need clean, clear audio. Poor microphone setups, echo, or background noise degrade interpretation quality faster in RSI than on-site because interpreters cannot adjust their position or ask for clarification as easily.
- Internet stability: Both the venue and the interpreter locations need stable broadband. Most platforms require 5-10 Mbps per interpreter for reliable operation.
- Interpreter fatigue: Remote work adds cognitive load. Interpreters report higher fatigue in RSI compared to on-site work because they lack visual cues from the speaker, cannot see presentation slides in real time (unless the platform streams video), and work in isolation rather than alongside a partner.
RSI for Events: Why It Matters
Cost Reduction
RSI eliminates interpreter travel, equipment rental ($1,500-$5,000/booth/day), and booth installation logistics. For a two-day conference with three language pairs, on-site SI costs $40,000-$80,000. RSI runs $8,000-$25,000, a 50-75% reduction.
Language Availability
On-site SI is constrained by which interpreters can physically attend. RSI removes this constraint. Organizers can source interpreters from anywhere in the world, dramatically expanding the range of language pairs available.
Scalability: Adding a language to an on-site SI setup means renting another booth, hiring another interpreter pair, and providing more receivers. Adding a language to RSI means hiring another interpreter pair and activating another channel. The marginal cost per additional language is 60-80% lower with RSI.
Hybrid and virtual event support: RSI is native to virtual and hybrid events. On-site booths serve in-person attendees but do not naturally extend to virtual participants. RSI platforms deliver interpretation to both audiences through the same digital channel.
Types of RSI Approaches
Full-Service RSI (Platform + Interpreters)
- Best for: Organizations running multilingual events occasionally, events with uncommon language pairs
- Cost: $1,500-$5,000 per language pair per day (interpreters and platform included)
- Advantage: Single vendor manages everything
Platform-Only RSI (Bring Your Own Interpreters)
- Best for: International organizations (UN agencies, EU bodies, NGOs), companies with ongoing multilingual needs
- Cost: $300-$2,000 per day for the platform, plus interpreter fees separately
- Advantage: Lower cost for organizations with existing interpreter relationships
AI-Powered Translation (No Human Interpreters)
- Best for: Events with many languages (10+), budget-constrained events, informational sessions where perfect accuracy is less critical
- Cost: $100-$1,000 per day regardless of language count
- Advantage: Unlimited language scalability at fixed cost
- Limitation: Lower accuracy than human interpretation, especially for idiomatic speech, humor, and culturally nuanced content
RSI Costs and Pricing
Interpreter Costs
Interpreter rates for RSI are typically 10-20% lower than on-site SI rates because interpreters save travel time and can work from home.
- Common language pairs (Spanish, French, German, Mandarin): $600-$1,200 per interpreter per day
- Less common pairs (Japanese, Korean, Arabic): $800-$1,500 per interpreter per day
- Rare language pairs: $1,000-$2,000+ per interpreter per day
- Standard team: 2 interpreters per language pair per day (switching every 20-30 minutes)
Platform Costs
- Per-event licensing: $500-$3,000 per day depending on attendee count and features
- Annual subscription: $5,000-$50,000 per year for organizations running multiple events
- Enterprise contracts: Custom pricing based on volume, typically $20,000-$100,000+ annually
Total Cost Examples
| Configuration | RSI Cost | On-Site SI Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2-day conference, 2 languages | $4,000-$10,000 | N/A |
| 3-day conference, 5 languages | $15,000-$35,000 | $60,000-$120,000 |
RSI delivers 50-75% cost savings over on-site SI for most event configurations. The savings increase with more languages because each additional language in RSI adds only interpreter costs, while on-site SI adds booth rental, equipment, and floor space.
How to Choose an RSI Solution
Evaluation Criteria
- Audio routing reliability: How does the platform handle the audio feed from your event setup? Test with your actual AV configuration before committing.
- Interpreter interface quality: Ask your interpreters (or the provider’s interpreters) about the platform’s interpreter console. Poor interfaces increase interpreter fatigue and reduce quality.
- Attendee experience: How do attendees select and listen to interpretation? Is it in-app, web-based, or through a separate device? Test on multiple devices.
- Relay interpretation support: For events with many languages, the platform must support relay channels.
- Recording and transcription: Does the platform record interpreted audio for on-demand access? Can it generate transcripts?
- Technical support: What level of support is available during the live event? Is there a dedicated technician monitoring the interpretation channels?
Red Flags
- No option for a live technical rehearsal with interpreters before the event
- Platform does not support relay interpretation
- No fallback plan if an interpreter’s internet connection drops
- Limited or no recording capabilities for on-demand playback
RSI vs. On-Site Simultaneous Interpretation
| Factor | RSI | On-Site SI |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (3 languages, 2-day event) | $8,000-$25,000 | $40,000-$80,000 |
| Setup time | Hours (software config) | 1-2 days (booth installation) |
| Language pair availability | Global interpreter pool | Limited to local/traveling interpreters |
| Interpreter fatigue | Higher (isolation, screen fatigue) | Lower (partner proximity, visual cues) |
| Venue requirements | Internet connection only | Floor space, power, booth clearance |
| Hybrid/virtual support | Native | Requires additional streaming setup |
The practical guidance: Use on-site SI when audio quality is critical, the event is high-stakes (diplomatic, legal, medical), and budget is not the primary constraint. Use RSI when cost, scalability, or virtual/hybrid delivery matters most. Many organizations use both: on-site booths for the main stage and RSI for breakout sessions.
RSI and Event Technology
RSI is converging with broader event technology in two directions.
Integration with event platforms. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex now include built-in interpretation channels. While these are simpler than dedicated RSI platforms, they eliminate the need for a separate tool for basic interpretation needs.
AI augmentation and replacement. AI-powered translation platforms like Snapsight are expanding multilingual access beyond what human interpretation can deliver. By supporting 75+ languages with AI-driven processing, these platforms make multilingual events accessible at a fraction of the cost of human RSI. Snapsight has processed 10,415+ sessions across 627+ events, operating 91% autonomously, which means no interpreter scheduling, no relay chains, and no language pair limitations.
The future is likely a hybrid model: human interpreters for high-stakes, nuanced content (diplomatic proceedings, medical conferences, legal hearings) and AI-powered translation for broader accessibility across many languages simultaneously.
Related Terms
- Simultaneous Interpretation: The broader practice of real-time spoken translation, including on-site and remote delivery
- Live Event Transcription: Real-time speech-to-text, often used alongside interpretation
- Live Captioning: Text display of spoken content, complementary to RSI for multilingual accessibility
- Hybrid Event Technology: Technology stack where RSI is a key multilingual component
- ADA Compliance for Events: Accessibility requirements that may include language access
- CART Services: Communication Access Realtime Translation for deaf/hard-of-hearing attendees
Most RSI platforms require interpreters to have a computer with a stable broadband connection (minimum 5-10 Mbps), a professional-grade headset with noise cancellation, and a quiet working environment. Some platforms provide dedicated interpreter consoles (hardware), but most operate through web browsers. The key requirement is audio quality: interpreters must hear the source language clearly and deliver their interpretation without background noise.
Yes, provided the interpreters are qualified in the subject matter. RSI does not change the interpretation itself, only the delivery mechanism. The same medical interpreter who would work on-site at a healthcare conference can work remotely via RSI. Organizers should provide interpreters with event materials (agendas, presentations, glossaries of technical terms) at least one week before the event, regardless of whether interpretation is on-site or remote.
Professional RSI platforms include redundancy measures. Most require interpreters to have backup internet (mobile hotspot) and can switch to a backup interpreter within 10-30 seconds. Platform-level redundancy routes audio through backup servers if the primary connection fails. For critical events, best practice is to have a standby interpreter logged in and ready to take over, adding approximately 50% to interpreter costs but eliminating the risk of a language channel going silent.
RSI platforms scale to thousands of concurrent listeners per language channel. The bottleneck is not the number of listeners but the number of active interpreters and platform infrastructure. For events with 10,000+ attendees, confirm that the platform has served events of similar scale and discuss bandwidth requirements for the venue or virtual platform.
Not entirely, but the balance is shifting. AI translation platforms now handle informational content (presentations, reports, updates) with sufficient accuracy for many events. Human RSI remains essential for content requiring cultural nuance, idiomatic accuracy, and real-time speaker intent (negotiations, diplomatic proceedings, medical consultations). The trend is toward AI handling the baseline with human interpreters reserved for high-stakes sessions. This tiered approach reduces costs while maintaining quality where it matters most.