Throat cancer patients who have lost their voice can look forward to speaking again, without having to shell out thousands on an artificial voice box. Vishal Rao, an oncologist and head and neck surgeon, HCG Cancer Care from Bengaluru has invented a voice box prosthesis priced at Rs 50. The device weighs just about 25 grams and is seen as a boon for the poor.

“Speaking is a right. When the voice box of patients is removed during surgery, they crave to speak. As if the trauma of the disease is not enough, the shock of having lost their voice takes a toll on them, emotionally. The prosthesis available in the market costs Rs 20,000 (to be changed once in six months) and is not viable for many poor patients. My objective was to design something that is affordable and can give them their voice back,” said Dr Vishal Rao.

The device has been aptly named Aum voice prosthesis. “We decided to term it Aum, as that is the sound which first resonated across the universe. Regaining one’s voice is so much like a rebirth,” said Rao.

“We imported platinum cured silicone (two-component high tear strength and flexible mould or casting compounds) from Germany to design the prosthesis. We had to make sure it didn’t react with body tissues,” he added.

Well the invention is a boon for millions who have lost their voice and are dependent on costly machines. One needs to laud Dr Vishal Rao who came up with this machine at a lower cost.