Social phobias affect about 15 million adults in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and surveys show that public speaking is high on the list of such phobias. For some people, these fears of social situations can be especially acute: For example, individuals with Asperger's syndrome often have difficulty making eye contact and reacting appropriately to social
![MIT's automated 'coach' helps with social interactions](https://cdn-ak-scissors.b.st-hatena.com/image/square/336e1312d1eb80109a0b619ad2618307e049ade1/height=288;version=1;width=512/https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FkrdwB8bfXLQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg)