Services
Professional CART Captioning
CART — Communication Access Realtime Technology — is live captioning produced by trained human stenographers, delivered word for word in real time.
Caption Nerds provides CART captioning for classrooms, workplaces, and live events. For over a decade we have also provided business-to-business support for larger captioning and translation firms, and regularly partner with American Sign Language interpretation organizations to support events of all sizes. No two environments are alike, and effective captioning adjusts accordingly. Whether on-site or remote, the goal is consistent: clear communication, as it happens.
Remote CART
Remote CART is a strong option for virtual, hybrid, or on-site events where budget or logistics make on-site service impractical. It is used in workplace settings, educational institutions, medical appointments, and more.
Captions can be deployed subtly and one-on-one, embedded into virtual meeting environments, displayed on large screens, or streamed directly to personal devices such as phones and tablets.
If a quality audio feed and reliable internet access are available, remote captioning can support your event in real time.
On-Site CART
On-site captioning is the right choice for environments where remote audio may not be reliable — expos, conferences, summits, walking tours, concerts, resorts, cruise ships, classroom settings, and locations with limited or no internet access.
Automated captioning presents itself as reliable under ideal conditions. Live events are rarely ideal. Human captioners make the difference:
• When Wi-Fi fails
•. In uncontrolled live environments
• When speakers overlap
• When audio drops or shifts unexpectedly
• When consistent language access is an absolute requirement
• When audience members are relying on captions for full participation
On-site CART can be deployed with or without internet access, and can support a single individual or an entire room.
Experience Across Real-World Settings
Caption Nerds has been trusted to provide CART captioning across a wide range of settings — from one-on-one communication to large-scale environments where accuracy matters.
Notable speakers have included:
Michelle Obama, Judith Heumann, Reverend Dr. Leroy Hanes, Tommy Orange, Selena Gomez, Abby Wambach, Ali Stoker, Serena Williams & Alexis Ohanian, Sasha Fierce & Peppermint, Poison Waters, Lolo Spencer, Ruth Rathblott, Kathleen McIntire, Marissa Bode, Cory Lee, and others across advocacy, entertainment, and public life.
Events and performances
Traveling Broadway and Off-Broadway productions
Expos, conferences, and summits
Live speaking events and panels
Environments and venues
Colleges and universities (faculty, students, and public events)
Workplace and one-on-one settings
Research institutes
State-sponsored events
Nonprofits
Vocational rehabilitation programs
Tourist attractions
Cruise ships, walking tours, and museums
Industries and expertise
Technology Experts from Google, AWS, Microsoft, and Intuit
UX specialists, and other technical presenters
How we work
We walk clients through their options and help determine the right setup for their event or environment. No two situations are alike, and we approach each one that way.
Working With Us
We guide every client through their options, processes, and best practices so you feel confident going into your event.
Billing is flexible and adaptable. Scheduling is simple — by email or through a client portal. Deployment options are explained upfront, not after the fact.
After your event, CART note files are available in multiple formats upon request. For qualifying events, we can share data on caption usage and viewership. And we’re always happy to offer a social media shoutout to highlight your commitment to accessible, ADA-compliant programming.
No two events are alike. We’re here for all of them.
Accuracy
Thomas has always worked at the intersection of stenography and evolving technology — using tools like Eclipse software and current-generation writers including the LightSpeed and Xpression.
But the focus isn’t the tools. It’s the outcome.
Accuracy in real-time captioning isn’t a guess — it can be measured. One of the methods used is NER (Number, Edit, Recognition), a framework for evaluating caption quality in live environments, including broadcast and speech recognition systems.
In practical terms, NER looks at how many errors occur in a body of text, compares that to the total word count, and produces a percentage score. It is a more meaningful measure of real-time performance than traditional word error rate alone.
What Partners Say
“Thomas Herman with Caption Nerds has partnered with Northwest CART + Captioning on many assignments over the past eight-plus years. Thomas is wonderful with communication and does not shy away from the most challenging assignments. He is always prepared, ready, and professional. We have been able to count on him to troubleshoot when problems arise, and we look forward to continuing our relationship for many more years to come.”
— Kim Cooksey & Christy Petersen, Northwest CART + Captioning
Ready to get started?
Remote. Local on-site. On-site abroad. Have passport, will travel.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your event.
