Impromptu

Inspiration

Impromptu speaking is a critical skill in many areas of life, from high-pressure job interviews to persuading clients or defending arguments in live debates. Despite its importance, practicing impromptu speaking is notoriously difficult. The most effective way to improve is through real verbal conversations, but finding people to practice with who can also provide valuable critiques is rarely convenient or feasible.

What it does

Impromptu leverages speech-to-speech technology to help users practice thinking and speaking on the spot. The app starts by presenting a debate topic or question related to real-world challenges, prompting users to create an initial argument. Users have a limited time to jot down notes for their speech, and if they need inspiration, our Gemini-powered assistant offers alternative perspectives or questions to consider.

Once preparation is complete, users enter a virtual room with three different AI critics, each possessing unique voices and personalities. Users present their prepared speech, and afterward, they engage in a live debate with the critics, answering questions and defending their arguments. Impromptu goes beyond traditional speaking practice by offering dynamic, real-time feedback from intelligent models, helping users refine their ability to form persuasive arguments on the spot and think quickly under pressure.

How we built it

The app’s debate topics are generated by Google’s Gemini API, ensuring high-quality prompts using in-context learning. The Gemini-powered assistant also aids users in brainstorming ideas. Once a user presents their speech, Groq’s Whisper Large V3 Turbo transcribes it to text. For the debate portion, we use the VAPI API to set up speech-to-speech interactions with three distinct AI critics. Each model challenges key ideas, encouraging the user to strengthen their arguments quickly. The entire web app runs on Next.js with Tailwind CSS for seamless user experience and design.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest hurdles we encountered was coordinating a smooth conversation between multiple AI voice models and the user. Establishing a one-on-one conversation through the VAPI API was straightforward, but handling simultaneous interactions between the user and multiple critics was challenging. Voice overlap and inconsistent responses were common issues. To solve this, we implemented a system where each model received the entire conversation history, including the transcription of the user’s speech, ensuring consistency in critiques without voice conflicts.

Another challenge was optimizing the models' feedback quality, especially during the initial speech when interruptions could disrupt the user’s flow. To mitigate this, we used transcription to capture the speech-to-text conversion, providing the models with a coherent basis for their responses during the live conversation. Additionally, we worked to convert audio packets to transcribed text using the computer's microphone, integrating it smoothly into the app’s interface.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of successfully integrating multiple AI assistants to provide users with varied and constructive feedback based on their speech. Implementing a working timer and audio recording system was another highlight, ensuring that users' timing requests and speeches were captured accurately. Additionally, we created an intuitive landing page that allows users to learn more about our product and dive straight into practice.

What we learned

This project taught us how to integrate various APIs into a cohesive, functional system. We gained hands-on experience with VAPI, Deepgram, Groq, and Gemini, expanding our knowledge of state-of-the-art AI tools. On the non-technical side, we improved our ability to divide and conquer complex problems, enhancing team collaboration.

What's next for Impromptu

Looking ahead, we plan to introduce several new features, such as customizable levels of critique from the AI assistants, a leaderboard to foster competitiveness and encourage daily practice, and the option to generate article links for users seeking research guidance on debate topics.