Public speaking isn't easy. It's actually, like, kind of a problem that affects, um, roughly 74 per cent of people. Read more: How to speak confidently in public: Virtuozo's top public speaking tips
Whether it's long pauses, or the use of 'hedging' language (see previous sentence), the way you speak can negatively affect your credibility. So what do you do? Picture your audience naked? Focus all that anxious blinking on one particular, bewildered person? Orai is a mobile public speaking course designed to tackle this specific problem, and in doing so, transforms your smartphone into a speaking coach.
Created by engineering students at Drexel University, Orai helps you curate your word choices. By listening to recordings of your speech, Orai uses machine learning to give feedback relating to filler words, pacing and word clarity. It even has a function to try to improve your vocal energy.
– Read more: how to speak confidently in public
The idea came from a simple need for expression. When Danish Dhamani and Paritosh Gupta moved to the US, English was not their first language. Paritosh grew up in India, whereas Dhamani was raised in Tanzania. They attended public speaking clubs but knew they weren't for everyone - costly both in terms of time and finances. In an interview with Fast Company, the pair said "there had to be a better way."
Orai focuses on a range of speaking exercises, some simple, some more unorthodox. As well as the obligatory tongue-twisters, there are routines to encourage you to use the word "um" as much as possible. Others help you practise an elevator pitch. These are all designed to tackle specific areas of speech, with intonation and pacing forming a foundation of the exercises.
The app can be used by both native and non-native English speakers — machine learning is used to interpret a range of accents, and while it is still in its early stages, has shown promising results. It has been available on the Apple App store for roughly a month and has been downloaded more than 1,000 times.
It could be argued, though, that practising a speech with an app is drastically different from speaking in a room full of people — the technological equivalent of speaking into a mirror. Yet it offers an interesting solution to a common problem. In much the same way language apps can help budding linguists, Orai could tackle a different market — those who struggle to speak even in their own language.
Understand your message: Once you understand your point, it will be easier to express it. Understand who your audience is: a common mistake is to put yourself as the audience.
Connect with your audience: Look at them, don't stare, but speak directly to them and check they are staying engaged.
Keep it clear: Words should not get in the way of your message. Don't use jargon: your audience will not relate to obscure language.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
