Wordly adds silent theatre audio streaming for events

Wordly has launched Silent Theatre Integration for exhibitors at trade shows and events, adding audio delivery to its existing AI translation platform.

The new product streams presentation audio to attendees' mobile phones instead of relying on wireless headsets or other dedicated event equipment. It also works with Wordly's captioning and translation tools, with captions shown on booth screens for nearby attendees.

Trade show organisers and exhibitors have long used silent theatre formats to help audiences hear presentations on noisy show floors. In many venues, background sound can make open-booth presentations difficult to follow, particularly in busy exhibition halls.

Wordly is positioning the feature as an alternative to conventional hardware-based systems. Instead of distributing headsets, managing charging stations and overseeing equipment on site, exhibitors can let visitors use their own phones to listen to live audio.

Event workflow

Silent Theatre Integration sits within the same workflow event organisers already use for captions and translations. That means exhibitors can combine audio streaming, live captions and translated content through one platform rather than using separate providers for different functions.

Because it does not depend on physical receivers, the system scales without headset inventory limits. Wordly says the approach can also reduce the logistical work involved in equipment handling and setup.

"Silent theaters have always been effective, but hardware has held them back," said Lakshman Rathnam, Founder & CEO of Wordly.

"By streaming high-quality audio directly to attendees' phones, we're making presentations easier to run, easier to scale, and far more accessible in the environments where organizers need it most. Done well, silent theaters become reliable engines for qualified conversations, not just another booth demo," Rathnam said.

The launch broadens Wordly's role in the events market beyond live translation and captions. The company has built its business around multilingual communication tools used in conferences, government settings and corporate events, and is now adding features tied more directly to the physical event experience.

Product expansion

Silent Theatre Integration is the second product update Wordly has announced in its latest round of event-focused releases. Earlier, it introduced Sponsor Logos, a feature that allows organisers to place sponsor branding within the live translation and captioning experience seen by attendees.

The feature is aimed at event organisers looking for additional sponsorship inventory inside digital event tools. Logos can appear alongside translated captions on attendee devices or with translated subtitles displayed on main stage screens.

By combining sponsorship placement with attendee-facing translation tools, Wordly is attempting to create another revenue option for organisers without requiring extra signage or floor space. For events running several stages or sessions, branding can be sold at session level.

Taken together, the two launches show how Wordly is trying to extend its platform from language access into other parts of event operations. One product is aimed at exhibitor presentation audio, while the other focuses on sponsor visibility within the digital attendee journey.

Wordly says it has been used by more than 6 million users across more than 120 countries. Its platform has also delivered more than 1 billion minutes of live multilingual translation.

Rathnam said the latest addition reflects a wider product push this year. "Silent Theatre Integration reflects our focus this year on practical, on-site tools that improve how exhibitors deliver content," he said.

"More enhancements are planned throughout the quarter as Wordly continues to develop features that support organizers and exhibitors across in-person, hybrid, and multilingual events," Rathnam said.