Konrad Zieliński, who was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer at the age of 17, faced a significant life change when doctors performed a procedure that removed his voice box. Prior to his diagnosis, Konrad was an active musician, playing in a band. After his surgery, he was determined to return to the music scene. He dedicated himself to researching voice synthesis, ultimately completing a dissertation on bionic systems. In 2023, he took a major step forward by co-founding Uhura Bionics alongside engineer Marek Grzelec. The company has created Whitney, an advanced electronic voice box named after the legendary singer Whitney Houston. This innovative device does not require surgery for use and is designed to allow users to modulate their intonation, convey emotions, and even sing, setting it apart from traditional voice devices that often produce a monotonous sound. Zieliński is actively demonstrating Whitney and has been taking singing lessons with the intention of performing live in San Francisco on October 7. The device is priced at $1,500. While Uhura currently markets its products as wellness devices, the company is working towards achieving medical device certification. Additionally, the startup is exploring AI voice cloning technology and has gained early access to new models from ElevenLabs. However, the current delay in real-time speech synthesis and the inability to accurately express emotions remain challenges that Zieliński aims to address within the next two to three years.
Informational material. 18+.
