{"id":3492005,"date":"2026-09-29T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/29\/after-his-voice-was-taken-by-cancer-this-entrepreneur-is-creating-spectacles-for-voice\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T15:00:00","slug":"after-his-voice-was-taken-by-cancer-this-entrepreneur-is-creating-spectacles-for-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/29\/after-his-voice-was-taken-by-cancer-this-entrepreneur-is-creating-spectacles-for-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"After his voice was taken by cancer, this entrepreneur is creating \u201cspectacles for voice\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Years ago, Konrad Zieli\u0144ski lost his ability to speak due to cancer while studying at the University of Warsaw. Traditionally, individuals with his diagnosis have depended on handheld voice devices that sound mechanical and uninspiring, or on surgically set voice implants which need continuous upkeep to avoid issues, Zieli\u0144ski expressed to TechCrunch.<\/p>\n

He later earned a PhD concentrating on bionic systems for laryngectomees, those who\u2019ve undergone removal of their larynxes. During the development of his thesis, he aimed to create a non-invasive apparatus, one that wouldn\u2019t necessitate surgery, enabling individuals like himself to express emotions, laugh, shout, and even perform songs.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Zieli\u0144ski initiated Uhura Bionics, a startup chosen as one of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026\u2019s Battlefield 200, a selection of nascent companies invited to present their innovations at the upcoming conference. The enterprise provides two wearable products: a simpler variant and a premium model known as Whitney, named after the vocalist Whitney Houston.<\/p>\n

Zieli\u0144ski expresses his hope that laryngectomees will use Whitney in the same manner that individuals with impaired vision utilize glasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pleased with what I\u2019ve created because it incorporates the emotional aspect,\u201d he stated in a voice that indeed conveys a great deal of inflection, albeit with a subtle electronic hint.<\/p>\n

The subsequent phase in Uhura\u2019s evolution involves introducing higher-pitched voice options for women, alongside personalization features to ensure users maintain unique vocal qualities.<\/p>\n

Currently, Uhura markets its offerings as wellness products, implying users must cover costs themselves: $500 for the standard version and $1,500 for Whitney. However, the startup is pursuing classification as Class I medical devices, the least risky category, in Europe and, subsequently, the U.S. This designation would permit partial reimbursement through health insurance.<\/p>\n

Zieli\u0144ski approximates the market potential for devices aiding laryngectomees at around $2 billion, though he believes it could expand significantly if Uhura branches out to accommodate individuals with other speech impairments.<\/p>\n

Uhura is not the only one providing contemporary solutions for those who have lost their voices. Rivals include Atos Medical, a company with medical devices in this sector, and startups like Laronix.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Zieli\u0144ski is confident that Whitney will appeal to numerous laryngectomees. He will showcase its features not only at TechCrunch Disrupt but also at SF Tech Week in October, where he plans to sing on stage with Whitney’s assistance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/div>\n
\n

Years ago, Konrad Zieli\u0144ski lost his ability to speak due to cancer while studying at the University of Warsaw. Traditionally, individuals with his diagnosis have depended on handheld voice devices that sound mechanical and uninspiring, or on surgically set voice implants which need continuous upkeep to avoid issues, Zieli\u0144ski expressed to TechCrunch.<\/p>\n

He later earned a PhD concentrating on bionic systems for laryngectomees, those who\u2019ve undergone removal of their larynxes. During the development of his thesis, he aimed to create a non-invasive apparatus, one that wouldn\u2019t necessitate surgery, enabling individuals like himself to express emotions, laugh, shout, and even perform songs.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Zieli\u0144ski initiated Uhura Bionics, a startup chosen as one of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026\u2019s Battlefield 200, a selection of nascent companies invited to present their innovations at the upcoming conference. The enterprise provides two wearable products: a simpler variant and a premium model known as Whitney, named after the vocalist Whitney Houston.<\/p>\n

Zieli\u0144ski expresses his hope that laryngectomees will use Whitney in the same manner that individuals with impaired vision utilize glasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pleased with what I\u2019ve created because it incorporates the emotional aspect,\u201d he stated in a voice that indeed conveys a great deal of inflection, albeit with a subtle electronic hint.<\/p>\n

The subsequent phase in Uhura\u2019s evolution involves introducing higher-pitched voice options for women, alongside personalization features to ensure users maintain unique vocal qualities.<\/p>\n

Currently, Uhura markets its offerings as wellness products, implying users must cover costs themselves: $500 for the standard version and $1,500 for Whitney. However, the startup is pursuing classification as Class I medical devices, the least risky category, in Europe and, subsequently, the U.S. This designation would permit partial reimbursement through health insurance.<\/p>\n

Zieli\u0144ski approximates the market potential for devices aiding laryngectomees at around $2 billion, though he believes it could expand significantly if Uhura branches out to accommodate individuals with other speech impairments.<\/p>\n

Uhura is not the only one providing contemporary solutions for those who have lost their voices. Rivals include Atos Medical, a company with medical devices in this sector, and startups like Laronix.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Zieli\u0144ski is confident that Whitney will appeal to numerous laryngectomees. He will showcase its features not only at TechCrunch Disrupt but also at SF Tech Week in October, where he plans to sing on stage with Whitney’s assistance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3492006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3492005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492005"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3492005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3492005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3492006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3492005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3492005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3492005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}