1,000 Reactions – Can virtual audiences make you a better public speaker?

New research designed to help people overcome the fear and anxiety typically associated with public speaking. Cicero works with virtual reality glasses that have the effect of immersing the participant fully in the virtual world to make it as real as possible. In the virtual world, animated avatars that look like real people are coded to react to the speaker. Feedback then depends on the speaker’s aptitude. If they are interesting, the audience will appear engaged: lean forward, display interested facial expressions, nod their heads, etc. If the speaker fails to engage the assembly, audience members will demonstrate their dissatisfaction by leaning back, looking disinterested, shaking their heads, etc.
Continue reading about Cicero on USC Viterbi’s news site.