Labor für Virtuelles Studio / Virtuelle Realität

Abstract: Development of a VR Speech Trainers with heartbeat monitoring and eye contact measurement as feedback to improve public speaking [DE]

The present work deals with the conception and implementation of a Virtual Reality (VR) Speech Trainer, which has been extended to include heart rate monitoring and eye contact measurement. Using the Unity development environment, the aim of this work is to investigate the extent to which these additional features represent added value compared to conventional VR Speech Trainers. This work outlines the complete development process, with particular emphasis on the implementation of the innovative features. These focus on aspects that are of great importance when delivering a public speech, such as the ability to maintain eye contact and awareness of one’s stress level, derived by monitoring the heart rate. Furthermore, the work provides an in-depth understanding of the theoretical foundations and technical aspects to consider when developing applications in the field of virtual reality. The analysis and interpretation of the achieved results are carried out in a scientific context, providing meaningful insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of the developed VR Speech Trainer. In conclusion, this work presents a functioning VR-Speech-Trainer, highlighting the potential of Virtual Reality in education and training. This contribution to research in the field of VR opens up new perspectives for future investigations and underscores the relevance of this topic for modern education and personal development.

Keywords:

Virtual Reality, Public Speaking, Presenting, Trainer, Presentation Skills, Educational Technology, Training and Development, Stress Measurment, Eye Contact, Eye Tracking

Supervisor:

Prof. Jens Herder, Dr. Eng./Univ. of Tsukuba
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sina Mostafawy

Location:

The research took place at the Virtual Sets and Virtual Environments Laboratory.