A cancer survivor who had her voice box removed has been able to perform a Christmas carol with Martine McCutcheon using smart vocal technology.
Former theatre performer Tanja Bage had her voice box taken out after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2020, and she uses a speech valve to communicate.
And thanks to the Electrospit, the 'Love Actually' star's vocals were transmitted from a recording studio into the smart instrument, which Tanja wore around her neck, and the vocal samples travelled through her throat using 5G, allowing her to shape the sounds into 'Silent Night'.
Tanja was able to surprise her sister with the special performance on her doorstep.
She said: "The hardest thing about this (having my voice box removed) was the loss of my singing voice. Obviously, I do still have a voice, but not the one I was born with. My sister and I have always been very close, and she has always been my biggest fan. Being able to surprise her on her doorstep and perform in this whole new way felt really special. I never thought I’d get to perform again in this way.”
Martine said: “I have simply been blown away by how 5G and tech can be used in this way. To be able to partner with Vodafone to make Tanja and Mia’s Christmas super magical has been a real privilege for me. I’ve been so inspired learning about the laryngectomy community and hope this project will educate the wider public on how to help remove any stigmas those with diverse voices may face.”
Vodafone said: “We’re always looking for ways in which we can use our technology for good. Using the power of our 5G network can help achieve things that were thought impossible before. Obviously, this is very early days for this project, but by working with companies like Sound Voice who identified this use of the Electrospit, we’re excited to continue to explore what else might be possible.”
Dr Thomas Moors, Ear, Nose, Throat doctor with a special interest in voice therapy and rehabilitation said: “Losing your voice can be a devastating and depersonalising experience - voice goes hand-in-hand with identity and I’ve seen first-hand how challenging it can be to find a new balance and means of self-expression. The laryngectomy community is a small and scattered group, around 8,000 in the UK, easily overlooked in our society and at risk for social isolation.
“Working with Vodafone has been exciting, it is the first telecom company we know of that is invested in helping out a group of people who are challenged on multiple levels in their communication – it shows that tech developments can help us on our journey, and the power of 5G means we can connect and communicate with people like we never thought."
Vodafone is committed to finding ways that 5G technology can bring people together this Christmas #TogetherWeCan.
