Want to Improve Your Public Speaking? There's an App for That.

Researchers have developed a real-time feedback app for 'smart glasses.'

learn more about Laura Entis

By Laura Entis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Public speaking is terrifying -- and I'm not the only one who feels this way. A much cited poll revealed that for more than half of us, the prospect is worse than death. This may sound extreme but then you think about getting up in front of a huge audience…and suddenly, it doesn't sound that far-fetched. Fortunately, there is help.

A group of researchers from the Human-Computer Interaction Group at the University of Rochester have developed a "smart glass" app to help those of us who are not naturally gifted at getting up in front of a crowd. Dubbed Rhema (after the Greek word for "utterance"), the app uploads speakers' audio and then provides real-time feedback on volume modulation and speaking rate. As the authors rightly note, because "a significant enough distraction can introduce unnatural behaviors, such as stuttering or awkward pausing" the goal is to provide feedback without causing any visibly weird reactions.

Related: Richard Branson Hates Public Speaking -- Here's How He Gets Over It

To determine the best method for this, the researchers had 30 subjects test out different indicators -- from a traffic light blinker to words and graphs. The most helpful, they determined, was a system that every 20 seconds flashes advice ("louder," "slower," or nothing if speaker is en pointe.)

Overall, participants reported that the app helped them improve their delivery.

The app's usefulness could extend beyond public speaking, the authors theorize, by potentially helping individuals with social difficulties, such as autism, as well as the efficacy of people working in sales or customer service.

Rhema is available for download here, although keep in mind it only runs on Google Glass.

Related: The Common Advice Barbara Corcoran and an Astronaut Used to Conquer Fear

Laura Entis
Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Career

Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take To Get There.

Author Joanne Lipman on what experience and science tell us about successful job pivots.

Business News

I Live on a Cruise Ship for Half of the Year. Look Inside My 336-Square-Foot Cabin with Wraparound Balcony.

I live on a cruise ship with my husband, who works on it, for six months out of the year. Life at "home" can be tight. Here's what it's really like living on a cruise ship.

Culture

50 Work-From-Home Jobs that Pay As Much or More than Average Salary

If you're tired of driving to an office and would love to work at home, there are plenty of high-quality full-time work-from-home jobs for you.