Joi Ito shows a photo of a screen showing the output from steno machines. However, the ‘scribes’ are said to be hearing French and typing English – just what many clients think translators do when they work! But in the comments it becomes clear that they’re hearing the simultaneous translation in English and that’s what they’re typing. And as the picture shows, you can feed the Stenograph output straight into a computer – that’s what they did at the O.J.Simpson trial, where all the lawyers could see the transcript on screen virtually in real time.

One commenter refers to Hansard, who transcribe the proceedings of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They discuss their techniques – either fast shorthand, Stenograph machines or audiotyping. Here’s more information about court reporters in the UK.