Voice-Responsive Virtual Reality Training Environment for Occupational and Non-Professional Voice Users

Abstract

We present a virtual reality environment (VRE) dedicated to improving public speaking and vocal skills. To design our VR system, we first recorded 529 data samples of fifteen students delivering their oral presentations. Next, we used speech processing to analyze voice parameters like pitch, timbre and speech rate. Moreover, six dedicated annotators assessed the stress levels within each speech sample. These procedures helped us select a subset of parameters for real-time animation of virtual characters and environment in response to the speaker’s voice. This interactive feedback aims to train users in voice modulation, enhancing their speaking abilities and confidence, as well as self-consciousness of their voice quality to support proper occupational voice usage. Finally, we report on the experimental assessment of our system with five users.

BibTeX

				
					@INPROCEEDINGS{10536153,
  author={Bartyzel, Patryk and lgras-Cybulska, Magdalena and Tadeja, Slawomir K. and Majdak, Magdalena and Łukawski, Grzegorz and Hekiert, Daniela},
  booktitle={2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW)}, 
  title={Voice-Responsive Virtual Reality Training Environment for Occupational and Non-Professional Voice Users}, 
  year={2024},
  volume={},
  number={},
  pages={208-213},
  keywords={Training;Three-dimensional displays;Modulation;Virtual reality;User interfaces;Public speaking;Real-time systems;Human-centered computing—Human computer interaction (HCI)—Interaction paradigms—Virtual reality;Voice training-Speech processing—Voice user interface—Public speaking training},
  doi={10.1109/VRW62533.2024.00042}}

				
			
APA Reference

P. Bartyzel, M. lgras-Cybulska, S. K. Tadeja, M. Majdak, G. Łukawski and D. Hekiert, “Voice-Responsive Virtual Reality Training Environment for Occupational and Non-Professional Voice Users,” 2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW), Orlando, FL, USA, 2024, pp. 208-213, doi: 10.1109/VRW62533.2024.00042.

Cyber-human Lab Contributors

Dr Sławomir Tadeja

Dr Slawomir K. Tadeja is a Postdoctoral Associate with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Here, he works...