{
  "id": 10715974,
  "title": "After losing his voice to cancer, this founder is building “glasses for voice”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/after-losing-his-voice-to-cancer-this-founder-is-building-glasses-for",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-29T15:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCrunch",
    "slug": "techcrunch",
    "url": "https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/after-losing-his-voice-to-cancer-this-founder-is-building-glasses-for-voice/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Konrad Zieliński, a University of Warsaw alumnus, lost his voice to cancer in his younger years. Those affected by this condition typically use handheld speaking devices or surgically implanted voice prostheses, which often lack the natural quality of human speech, requiring upkeep to avoid complications. Zieliński, who later earned a PhD in bionic systems for laryngectomees, aimed to create a non-invasive device that could enable voice restoration without surgery. In 2023, he founded Uhura Bionics, a startup recognized among TechCrunch Disrupt 2026's Battlefield 200, a cohort of early-stage businesses chosen for a showcase at the conference next month. Uhura offers two wearable devices: a simpler model and a premium version named Whitney, after the renowned singer Whitney Houston. Zieliński envisions users treating Whitney as they would glasses for vision impairment, enabling them to speak with emotion, laughter, shouting, and even singing. He expressed satisfaction with the emotional aspect of the device, despite a faint electronic undertone to his voice. Uhura's upcoming focus includes adding higher-pitched voice options for women and personalization features to ensure individuality among users. Currently sold as wellness devices, the basic model costs $500, while Whitney is priced at $1,500. However, Uhura is working towards classifying its products as Class I medical devices in Europe and the U.S., which could facilitate partial reimbursement through health insurance. Zieliński estimates the market size for laryngectomy voice restoration devices at approximately $2 billion, though it could expand further if Uhura reaches out to individuals with various speech disorders. Although Uhura faces competition from established players like Atos Medical and emerging startups like Laronix, Zieliński remains confident that Whitney will garner support from the laryngectomee community. He plans to demonstrate the device's capabilities at TechCrunch Disrupt and SF Tech Week in October, where he will perform on stage using Whitney's voice.",
  "summary": "Uhura Bionics, a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Battlefield 200, wants to replace flat, robotics voice devices with one that carries emotions.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}