[Cambridge researcher Chris Macdonald has developed a platform that uses widely accessible technology that evokes spatial and social presence to help people overcome their fear of public speaking. The project is described in this story from the University of Cambridge; the original version of the story includes more images and a 9:05 minute video (also available on YouTube). An excerpt from coverage by The Guardian follows below, and more coverage is available from The Times. –Matthew]

Free tech eliminates the fear of public speaking

Cambridge scientist launches free AI-enabled virtual reality platform that transforms users into skilled and confident public speakers.

By Louise Walsh
March 15, 2025

Presenting in front of an audience is an important and unavoidable part of education and career progression, yet it’s also among the most feared activities, with surveys reporting as high as 80% of students finding this a source of social anxiety.

Fortunately, a groundbreaking solution has arrived. Thanks to a first-of-its-kind platform developed by Cambridge researcher Dr Chris Macdonald, those suffering from public speaking anxiety can be transformed into skilled and confident speakers. The platform provides tailored course material, a wide range of photorealistic virtual reality (VR) training environments, and support from an AI ‘coach’.

As revealed in a recent publication from Macdonald – Director of the Immersive Technology Lab at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge – the platform increases levels of confidence and enjoyment for most users after a single 30-minute session.

In the most recent trial with students from Cambridge and UCL, it was found that a week of self-guided use was beneficial to 100% of users. The platform helped participants feel more prepared, adaptable, resilient, confident, better able to manage anxiety.

From 15 March 2025, World Speech Day, anyone in the world can freely access the platform, which is also being demoed at the Cambridge Festival on 29 and 30 March.

Why do we fear public speaking? And why avoidance isn’t the answer

So-called ‘glossophobia’, fear of public speaking, stems from how we feel about ourselves or specific situations, and kickstarts a physiological response that makes it difficult to perform effectively – a racing heart, dry mouth, shaky voice and panic – which has knock-on effects, as Macdonald explains:

“It negatively impacts mental health, physical health, academic attainment and career progression. In short, it caps human potential.”

“People tend to avoid speaking opportunities, which maintains or worsens the fear and anxiety. Some seek structured help, but behavioural therapy can come at a high cost or can take over 20 weeks to access and complete.

“Most people try to overcome the anxiety by practicing. However, the practice environment is often nothing like where they will perform – it’s usually highly controlled and comfortable like their bedroom, they may be reading from a computer screen, and there is no audience.

“As a result, it will feel like a significant step up when they present to even a small group of people – and a subtle audience gesture can throw them off. I was determined to create a solution that is free and instantly accessible.”

‘Running with weights’ and coached by AI

With the new VR platform, a user can experience the sensation of presenting to a wide range of photorealistic audiences.

What makes Macdonald’s invention unique is that it uses what he calls ‘overexposure therapy’ where users can train in increasingly more challenging photorealistic situations – eventually leading to extreme scenarios that the user is unlikely to encounter in their lifetime.

They might begin by presenting to a small and respectful audience but as they progress, the audience sizes increase and there are more distractions: spectators begin to look disinterested, they walk out, interrupt, take photos, and so on. A user can progress to the point where they can present in a hyper-distracting stadium environment with loud noises, panning stadium lights and 10,000 animated spectators.

“Overexposure therapy provides the psychological equivalent of running with weights: it builds extra adaptability, grit, strength and resilience. When a user subsequently presents for real, it can feel like a step down. It can feel easy by comparison.”

“An added benefit to this gamified approach is that users also really enjoy using the platform. They are curious to see what’s next and they are enjoying the challenge of pushing themselves,” he explains.

With a background working as a consultant and technical director for leading-edge tech firms, Macdonald knew he could build something realistic and accessible: “With the latest version of the platform, users have said that the VR environments are so realistic it’s like being teleported to a different place.”

To help users improve their presentations, an AI ‘coach’ has been embedded into the platform to provide feedback. Macdonald trained it using examples of the top 100 speeches of all time. It was a little harsh to begin with, as Macdonald explains:

“The coach was initially so effective in its critical comparison that it really demotivated the user. It was as though every word was crossed out with a red pen and the user had failed,” he says. “I had to dial it back. It now prioritises the areas that have the biggest impact and it gives more encouraging guidance. It empowers the speaker to develop their own unique style.”

Built for real people with limited budgets

Macdonald’s aim was for the platform to be accessible to all and so he developed a method that converts smartphones into VR headsets: “Only 5% of UK households have a VR headset but 99% have smartphones. And while VR headsets can cost thousands, a device mount costs around £15. An old smartphone inserted into a low-cost device mount will provide the same content and the same experience.”

A first-of-its-kind, dual-compatible VR player ensures it works on both Android and iOS. “Not only is this the first time that this treatment is available for free worldwide, it’s also the first time it is accessible via multiple devices and multiple operating systems.”

During development, the platform hosted over 50,000 practice presentations from remote beta users. To further stress test the platform, Macdonald took the lab on tour which included exhibits at the leading science and technology events as well as events at a local market, library, community centre, church, and even someone’s living room. On 29 and 30 March 2025, he’ll be demoing the platform at the Cambridge Festival.

“I wanted to build something that is not only highly effective but that can and will be used by those who need it the most.”

“Working closely with end users has been crucial to making sure the platform ‘works in the wild’ and becomes increasingly more effective. Through constant public engagement, we can remain deeply grounded in public service.

“At one demo in Cambridge, we had over a thousand people trying it out. One woman was visibly very emotional. She said to me that she would have had the confidence to become a teacher if this had been around when she was younger.

“It really validated the idea that the platform can expand career horizons.”

It is very promising to see how effective the platform is given that I am already working on the next round of updates.”

In addition to the range of presentation-style audiences, he has started adding more specialised environments and challenges, such as reading a teleprompter in a virtual TV studio or responding to questions in a job or radio interview. Beyond the main platform that is now freely available, he has created an app for healthcare providers, and is collaborating with organisations that seek to support specific groups such as children who stammer.

“The goal is to create more targeted treatment options for those who need it the most. I am currently seeking funding to facilitate this.”

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Dr Chris Macdonald established the multi-award-winning Immersive Technology Lab to investigate the transformative potential of emerging technologies for education and healthcare. He is a Fellow at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge.

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[From The Guardian]

Free online virtual reality tool helps people tackle public speaking nerves

Cambridge scientist behind VR platform says it could help those put off by high cost of speech anxiety treatment

By Nicola Davis, Science correspondent
March 15, 2025

[snip]

A recent study published by Macdonald in the journal Frontiers in Virtual Reality suggests the platform could be beneficial. The research involved 29 adolescents from China, who each undertook a 30-minute session in which they alternated between using the VR system and practising a simple breathing exercise, after which they delivered a prepared one-minute script in English to 34 people in real life.

The percentage of students who said they were anxious public speakers fell from 65% before the experiment to 20% after the presentations, while the percentage who described themselves as confident rose from 31% to 79%. More students said they enjoyed public speaking after using the platform.

Macdonald said another yet to be published study involving 18 students who did not have to subsequently give an in-person presentation revealed all participants found a week of self-guided use to be beneficial, for example in feeling more confident or better able to manage nerves.

While Macdonald said further experiments with control groups and larger numbers of participants were planned, tens of thousands of people have used the platform during its development. “I don’t just want to build something that’s effective. I want to build something that can and will be used,” he said.

Dr Matteo Cella, a psychologist and leader of the virtual reality lab at King’s College London, who was not involved in the work, said the platform built on the concepts of traditional exposure therapy, making it more accessible and easy to implement.

But Cella said there was a potential risk overexposure could reinforce people’s avoidance of public speaking, and that robust randomised control trials were needed to evaluate the system, noting the published work did not offer many insights on its efficacy.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm and problem-solving energy from digital innovators to address pressing mental health challenges in our society, but unfortunately many products have poor uptake and short lifespan due to their very rapid development and limited evidence,” he said.

Dr Kim Smallman of Cardiff University also said more work was needed. “It’s promising to see open-source innovation in this space, particularly in how VR can enhance engagement and accessibility to skills development and potentially therapeutic content. However, as with any emerging technology, it’s crucial to evaluate its real-world impact, how people use it, whether it truly improves confidence and reduces anxiety, and what unintended effects might arise.”