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A multimodal positive computing system for public speaking

Dermody, Fiona (2021) A multimodal positive computing system for public speaking. PhD thesis, Dublin City University.

Abstract
A fear of public speaking can have a significant impact on an individual’s success in enterprise and education. This thesis presents a new, multimodal, digital system which enables users to practise their public speaking skills and gives them visual feedback in real time. It has been developed within the paradigm of Positive Computing, an interdisciplinary paradigm for human-computer interaction. Positive Computing has a number of themes including competence, self-awareness, stress-reduction and autonomy. The term ‘multimodal’ refers to the fact that the system detects multiple speaking modes in the speaker such as their gestures, voice and eye contact. The user can select if they want to receive feedback on all speaking modes or a subset of them. The system consists of a Microsoft Kinect 1 connected to a laptop. The Microsoft Kinect, a 3D depth camera, is used to sense the user’s body movements, facial expressions and voice. The user stands in front of the system and speaks. Users can choose to see themselves represented on the screen as either an avatar or live video. Real-time feedback is superimposed on their chosen representation in proximity to the area it relates to. The purpose of the feedback is to make the user aware of their speaking behaviour. The feedback is non-directive as the user can choose if they want to modify their behaviour. This system gives users the potential to develop skill and confidence before speaking in front of a live human audience. Users have reported that they enjoy using the system and can see its benefits. Results and descriptions of all user testing are reported in detail in this thesis.
Metadata
Item Type:Thesis (PhD)
Date of Award:March 2021
Refereed:No
Supervisor(s):Sutherland, Alistair and Farren, Margaret
Uncontrolled Keywords:Public Speaking; Positive Computing; Multimodal Interaction; Human Computer Interaction; Interface Design
Subjects:Computer Science > Interactive computer systems
Social Sciences > Speech
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Engineering and Computing > School of Computing
Use License:This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. View License
ID Code:25303
Deposited On:11 Mar 2021 10:38 by Alistair Sutherland . Last Modified 05 Jan 2024 09:49
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