After losing his voice to cancer, this founder is building “glasses for voice”

Konrad Zieliński mislaid his dependable to crab years agone portion helium was a pupil astatine the University of Warsaw. People with his information person traditionally relied connected handheld speaking devices that dependable level and robotic, oregon connected surgically implanted dependable prostheses, which necessitate ongoing attraction to forestall complications, Zieliński told TechCrunch.

He went connected to implicit a PhD focusing connected bionic systems for laryngectomees, radical who’ve had their dependable boxes (larynxes) removed. While moving connected his thesis, helium acceptable retired to physique a non-invasive device, 1 requiring nary surgery, that would let radical similar him to talk with emotion, laugh, shout, and adjacent sing.

In 2023, Zieliński launched Uhura Bionics, a startup selected arsenic 1 of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Battlefield 200, a radical of early-stage companies chosen to showcase their products astatine the league adjacent month. The institution offers 2 wearable devices: a much basal exemplary and a high-end mentation called Whitney, named aft the vocalist Whitney Houston.

Zieliński says helium hopes laryngectomees volition usage Whitney conscionable similar radical with mediocre eyesight usage glasses.

“I’m satisfied with what I’ve built due to the fact that you added the affectional layer,” helium said successful a dependable that so carries plentifulness of intonation, though with a flimsy physics undertone.

The adjacent measurement successful Uhura’s improvement is adding higher-pitched dependable options for women, arsenic good arsenic personalization features truthful users don’t each dependable alike.

For now, Uhura sells its products arsenic wellness devices, which means users indispensable wage retired of pocket: $500 for the basal enactment and $1,500 for Whitney. But the startup is successful the process of getting them classified arsenic Class I aesculapian devices, the lowest-risk category, successful Europe and, later, the U.S. That classification would let for partial reimbursement done wellness insurance.

Zieliński estimates the marketplace size for devices serving laryngectomees astatine astir $2 billion, but says it could beryllium larger if Uhura expands to service radical with different code disorders.

Uhura is not unsocial successful offering modern solutions for radical who person mislaid their voices. Competitors see Atos Medical, a aesculapian instrumentality institution with products successful the space, and startups similar Laronix.

Still, Zieliński is definite Whitney volition resonate with different laryngectomees. He volition beryllium demonstrating its capabilities not lone astatine TechCrunch Disrupt, but besides astatine SF Tech Week successful October, wherever helium volition sing onstage with the assistance of Whitney.