A stenomasker at work (lower right corner). Click on picture for larger image

You are looking at a "stenomasker." He/she is a court reporter (private contractor) hired to take down each word of the official proceedings. Wearing what is known as a "stenomask" to muffle the noise, they speak into a tape recorder, simultaneously repeating each word spoken by the hearing participants. The tapes are then transcribed to create the official transcripts for these sessions. Other forms of what is known as court reporting are traditional shorthand and stenotyping. However, there are not enough skilled professionals around who can use a stenotype machine (worn over the torso, much like an accordion) or practice shorthand to meet the demand.