Conference Captioning Chrome Extension (On-Device AI for Events)

The Conference Captioning Chrome Extension enables real-time, on-device AI captions for live events, without requiring an Apple device. This solution is ideal for AV professionals and event organizers who need a fast, reliable, and low-latency captioning workflow on Windows. We recommend using our native app on Apple systems since it takes advantage of the Neural Engine/NPU.
Using your computer’s microphone or audio feed, the extension captures speech and delivers highly accurate live captions directly to your event stream. The Chrome app even mixes any audio being played by a video playing with what it hears from your mic!

When to Use This Setup:

• You are running events on Windows or non-Apple hardware
• You need real-time captions with minimal latency
• You want a local (on-device) captioning solution without relying on cloud processing
• You have already created your stream on the Admin Portal here: https://app.conferencecaptioning.com

Step-by-Step Setup Guide:

1. Prepare Your Caption Stream

Before installing the extension, ensure your caption stream is ready:

• Navigate to:
  https://deafassistant.com/{StreamName}
• Replace {StreamName} with your unique stream ID
• Confirm the page loads successfully, or else create it using app.conferencecaptioning.com

2. Download the Chrome Extension

• Download the extension package (which includes the transcription AI model): https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/conferencecaptioning/hblipfjbehhndelmmfifecnlnhehhgjk

• After the download of completes, tap on the Extensions icon, and select "ConferenceCaptioning" from the list

3. Grant Microphone Permissions

• Once installed, when you tap on it, the extension will prompt for microphone access
• Click "Allow while visiting the site" to enable audio capture
• If you press Deny by mistake, you can tap on the three dots to the right of the ConferenceCaptioning pin you see above -> View Web Permissions -> Microphone -> Allow. It will autosave

4. To Start Captioning During Your Event

1. Simply back to your stream page:
   https://deafassistant.com/{StreamName}
2. Click the Conference Captioning extension icon
3. In the popup, enter your Stream Name in lower case
4. Click Start, and you should be able to see captions display on your screen. If you tap on the "Show Captions" button on the page, you will also see what the attendees get to see.

How It Works During an Event

• The extension captures audio from your device (mic or routed system audio)
• AI processes the speech locally (on-device)
• Captions appear:
  • In a local preview window
  • On the live stream page when you click “Show Captions”

This allows AV teams to:

• Monitor captions in real time to make sure their systems are setup correctly
• Ensure accessibility compliance for attendees
  

Best Practices for AV Professionals

• Use a direct audio feed (via mixer or interface) instead of ambient mic when possible
• Test audio levels before the event to improve accuracy
• Keep Chrome focused on the stream page to avoid interruptions
• Use a dedicated computer as the captioning machine for large events

Troubleshooting Tips

• No captions appearing → Verify your Stream Name matches exactly
• Low accuracy → Check microphone input quality and background noise
• Extension not loading → Ensure Developer Mode is enabled in Chrome
• Anything else → Just use the chat option on our website for live event support

Why Use Conference Captioning (On-Device AI)?

• ✅ Works on Windows & Mac
• ✅ No internet dependency (local processing option)
• ✅ Low latency for live events
• ✅ Easy integration into existing AV workflows
• ✅ Scalable for conferences, houses of worship, and corporate events