Devices Monitor Whether You're A Good Conversationalist

from the that-could-be-useful dept

I'll admit that there are times when I've been known to take up more than my fair share of a conversation. Usually, though, I only realize this after the conversation is over (such as when my wife points it out), though it is something that I try to watch. However, some researchers at MIT are apparently working on devices that can better measure the dynamics of face-to-face conversation and provide direct feedback to the speakers -- such as letting them know when they've been hogging the conversation and when to shut up. As the article link above notes, there really hasn't been much done to regularly analyze and provide biofeedback on conversational techniques and the way that people interact on a regular basis. In the past, it's mostly been limited to people being filmed doing some activity, and then reviewing the film later. Having a better system for monitoring certain actions in real time could be quite useful in getting people to adjust their behavior.

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