Innovative VR Platform Launched to Tackle Public Speaking Anxiety

New freely available VR platform from Cambridge offers rapid confidence boosts in public speaking through immersive, adaptable virtual environments.

• Platform accessible via smartphones using low-cost mounts (£15).
• Clinically proven to increase public speaking confidence significantly after a single 30-minute session.
• Developed through extensive user feedback and public engagement.

Public speaking anxiety, a common and widespread issue affecting many in academia and beyond, could soon be alleviated thanks to a new immersive virtual reality (VR) platform launched by the Immersive Technology Lab at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge. Coinciding with World Speech Day, the platform is designed to enhance users’ confidence and public speaking skills by simulating realistic speaking scenarios in controlled virtual environments.

Accessible Virtual Reality for Wider Impact

Dr Chris Macdonald, founder of the Immersive Technology Lab, aimed to democratise access to effective public speaking training by making VR accessible to everyone. Given that just 5% of UK households currently own a VR headset but 99% own smartphones, Macdonald developed a simple and cost-effective solution: a £15 smartphone mount that transforms everyday smartphones into functional VR headsets.

“In physical reality, a user might be practising a presentation alone in their bedroom but on the new virtual reality platform, they can experience the sensation of presenting to a wide range of increasingly challenging photorealistic audiences,” explains Dr Macdonald.

This accessibility is enhanced by the development of a dual-compatible VR player, making it the first platform of its kind available across both Android and iOS operating systems. Regardless of the technology used—be it a dedicated VR headset or a smartphone in a mount—users receive the same immersive experience and quality of content.

Proven Efficacy and User-Centric Design

The platform’s effectiveness has been demonstrated in trials with students from the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL). Published in the journal Frontiers, the results showed that confidence levels improved significantly after only a single 30-minute session. After a week of self-guided use, every participant reported improved preparedness, adaptability, resilience, and confidence.

Macdonald highlights how practising with exaggerated scenarios in VR can help reduce real-world anxiety: “Students who use the VR platform can practice in a different venue every night to a wide range of highly distracting audiences and fear-inducing scenarios. They can, for example, practice in a stadium in front of 10,000 animated spectators, with loud noises, stadium lights, and flashing cameras.” Consequently, users experience real-life presentations as significantly easier, a process described as “Overexposure Therapy,” a pioneering approach developed by Dr Macdonald.

Extensive public engagement has shaped the platform’s user-centric design. With over 50,000 practice presentations from remote users and feedback from diverse settings—including New Scientist Live, local markets, and community centres—the platform was refined to ensure effectiveness in realistic scenarios.

The platform also incorporates specialised environments, such as teleprompter reading in a virtual TV studio and simulated job interviews, along with an embedded AI coach to assist users in honing their presentations.

Dr Macdonald emphasises the ongoing need for collaboration and funding to expand the platform further: “To continue its development, expand it long-term, and launch additional features and platforms, we need funding. Therefore, I encourage philanthropists and sponsors to reach out.”

The free platform is now available online, promising significant positive impacts on mental health, career progression, and academic success by enabling widespread access to effective public speaking training.