Web-based video conferencing system and method

1 . A video conferencing system, comprising:

a set of instructions; and

a server connectable to a first audience member computing device, a second audience member computing device, and a presenter computing device via a network, the server to execute the set of instructions to:

receive a first live video feed of a first audience member via a first webcam of the first audience member computing device;

receive first audio from the first audience member via a first microphone of the first audience member computing device;

receive a second live video feed of a second audience member via a second webcam of the second audience member computing device;

receive second audio from the second audience member via a second microphone of the second audience member computing device;

receive a third live video feed of a presenter via a third webcam of the presenter computing device;

cause a video conference involving the first audience member, the second audience member, and the presenter to be presented via the first audience member computing device such that video associated with the video conference is presented via a first display of the first audience member computing device and such that audio associated with the video conference is presented via a first speaker of the first audience member computing device;

cause the video conference to be presented via the second audience member computing device such that the video associated with the video conference is presented via a second display of the second audience member computing device and such that the audio associated with the video conference is presented via a second speaker of the second audience member computing device;

cause the video conference to be presented via the presenter computing device such that the video associated with the video conference is presented via a third display of the presenter computing device and such that the audio associated with the video conference is presented via a third speaker of the presenter computing device;

cause the video associated with the video conference to show the first live video feed of the first audience member at a first perceived virtual distance relative to the third live video feed of the presenter;

cause the video associated with the video conference to show the second live video feed of the second audience member at a second perceived virtual distance relative to the third live video feed of the presenter, the second perceived virtual distance being greater than the first perceived virtual distance;

cause the audio associated with the video conference to play the first audio from the first audience member at a first volume that is based on the first perceived virtual distance; and

cause the audio associated with the video conference to play the second audio from the second audience member at a second volume that is based on the second perceived virtual distance, the first volume being louder than the second volume.

2 . The video conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to:

cause the video associated with the video conference to show the first live video feed of the first audience member as a first video image having a first size that is based on the first perceived virtual distance; and

cause the video associated with the video conference to show the second live video feed of the second audience member as a second video image having a second size that is based on the second perceived virtual distance, the first size being larger than the second size.

3 . The video conferencing system of claim 2 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to cause the video associated with the video conference to show the first video image and the second video image within a virtual venue, the virtual venue comprising a virtual auditorium, a virtual lecture hall, or a virtual meeting room.

4 . The video conferencing system of claim 3 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to cause the video associated with the video conference to show a whiteboard within the virtual venue and to update the whiteboard based on input received from the presenter computing device.

5 . The video conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to:

receive third audio from the presenter via a third microphone of the presenter computing device, the third audio comprising a prompt to elicit a first response from the first audience member and to elicit a second response from the second audience member; and

cause the audio associated with the video conference to play the third audio from the presenter.

6 . The video conferencing system of claim 5 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to:

receive the first response from the first audience member computing device in response to the prompt;

determine a first set of characters that is indicative of the first response;

receive the second response from the second audience member computing device in response to the prompt; and

determine a second set of characters that is indicative of the second response.

7 . The video conferencing system of claim 6 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to:

perform speech recognition to determine a third set of characters associated with the third audio from the presenter;

compare the first set of characters to the third set of characters to determine a first score for the first response; and

compare the second set of characters to the third set of characters to determine a second score for the second response.

8 . The video conferencing system of claim 7 , wherein the server is to execute the set of instructions to:

generate a report indicative of the first score and the second score; and

cause the report to be presented via the third display of the presenter computing device.

9 . The video conferencing system of claim 8 , wherein:

the first audience member computing device comprises virtual reality equipment; and

the server is to execute the set of instructions to receive the first response from the first audience member based on interaction that occurs between the first audience member and a virtual reality chatbot via the virtual reality equipment.

10 . The video conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first display of the first audience member computing device comprises virtual reality equipment; and

the server is to execute the set of instructions to cause the video associated with the video conference to be presented via the first display of the first audience member computing device as three-dimensional video.

11 . A video conferencing method, comprising:

receiving a first live video feed of a first audience member via a first webcam of a first audience member computing device;

receiving first audio from the first audience member via a first microphone of the first audience member computing device;

receiving a second live video feed of a second audience member via a second webcam of a second audience member computing device;

receiving second audio from the second audience member via a second microphone of the second audience member computing device;

receiving a third live video feed of a presenter via a third webcam of a presenter computing device;

causing a video conference involving the first audience member, the second audience member, and the presenter to be presented via the first audience member computing device such that video associated with the video conference is presented via a first display of the first audience member computing device and such that audio associated with the video conference is presented via a first speaker of the first audience member computing device;

causing the video conference to be presented via the second audience member computing device such that the video associated with the video conference is presented via a second display of the second audience member computing device and such that the audio associated with the video conference is presented via a second speaker of the second audience member computing device;

causing the video conference to be presented via the presenter computing device such that the video associated with the video conference is presented via a third display of the presenter computing device and such that the audio associated with the video conference is presented via a third speaker of the presenter computing device;

causing the video associated with the video conference to show the first live video feed of the first audience member at a first perceived virtual distance relative to the third live video feed of the presenter;

causing the video associated with the video conference to show the second live video feed of the second audience member at a second perceived virtual distance relative to the third live video feed of the presenter, the second perceived virtual distance being greater than the first perceived virtual distance;

causing the audio associated with the video conference to play the first audio from the first audience member at a first volume that is based on the first perceived virtual distance; and

causing the audio associated with the video conference to play the second audio from the second audience member at a second volume that is based on the second perceived virtual distance, the first volume being louder than the second volume.

12 . The video conferencing method of claim 11 , comprising:

causing the video associated with the video conference to show the first live video feed of the first audience member as a first video image having a first size that is based on the first perceived virtual distance; and

causing the video associated with the video conference to show the second live video feed of the second audience member as a second video image having a second size that is based on the second perceived virtual distance, the first size being larger than the second size.

13 . The video conferencing method of claim 12 , comprising causing the video associated with the video conference to show the first video image and the second video image within a virtual venue, the virtual venue comprising a virtual auditorium, a virtual lecture hall, or a virtual meeting room.

14 . The video conferencing method of claim 13 , comprising causing the video associated with the video conference to show a whiteboard within the virtual venue and updating the whiteboard based on input received from the presenter computing device.

15 . The video conferencing method of claim 11 , comprising:

receiving third audio from the presenter via a third microphone of the presenter computing device, the third audio comprising a prompt to elicit a first response from the first audience member and to elicit a second response from the second audience member; and

causing the audio associated with the video conference to play the third audio from the presenter.

16 . The video conferencing method of claim 15 , comprising:

receiving the first response from the first audience member computing device in response to the prompt;

determining a first set of characters that is indicative of the first response;

receiving the second response from the second audience member computing device in response to the prompt; and

determining a second set of characters that is indicative of the second response.

17 . The video conferencing method of claim 16 , comprising:

performing speech recognition to determine a third set of characters associated with the third audio from the presenter;

comparing the first set of characters to the third set of characters to determine a first score for the first response; and

comparing the second set of characters to the third set of characters to determine a second score for the second response.

18 . The video conferencing method of claim 17 , comprising:

generating a report indicative of the first score and the second score; and

causing the report to be presented via the third display of the presenter computing device.

19 . The video conferencing method of claim 18 , wherein:

the first audience member computing device comprises virtual reality equipment; and

the video conferencing method comprises receiving the first response from the first audience member based on interaction that occurs between the first audience member and a virtual reality chatbot via the virtual reality equipment.

20 . The video conferencing method of claim 11 , wherein:

the first display of the first audience member computing device comprises virtual reality equipment; and

the video conferencing method comprises causing the video associated with the video conference to be presented via the first display of the first audience member computing device as three-dimensional video.