10th-grade students from NIS IB in Astana have created Voice X, a compact device that allows people who have completely lost their voice after laryngeal cancer or surgery to speak again. In an interview to El.kz, the students shared how the idea came about and why their invention could change the lives of thousands.

Voice X reads micro-vibrations of the neck muscles and uses neural networks to recreate the person’s original voice - the way it sounded before illness. The device requires no training: you simply put it on your neck, and it automatically activates when a person attempts to speak.

According to WHO, around 238,000 new cases of laryngeal cancer are diagnosed globally each year, and in 60% of cases the disease is detected too late - the organ has to be completely removed. Along with the voice, a person loses part of their identity. Voice X aims to solve exactly this problem.

“In general, the idea for Voice X was born from a personal experience. One of our team members had a friend whose older brother developed laryngeal cancer and completely lost his ability to speak. He faced a major problem: existing devices in Kazakhstan and around the world don’t allow people to speak with a natural, lively voice,” Bekzhan Bakyt, one of the students shared.

This story became the starting point for the project. The students realized that existing solutions - expensive and mechanical electrolarynx devices - only deepen isolation. Their goal became clear: to create a device that restores not just a voice, but a part of a person’s identity.

The team consists of five 10th-graders:

• Bekezhan Bakyt - responsible for hardware: circuit boards, vibration sensors, device casing, and power supply;

• Aizere Sarsenbek - lead software and neural network developer, also the project manager;

• Zhaniya Serik - in charge of project promotion, communication with hospitals and doctors, and collecting patient feedback;

• Merei Bekym - responsible for biomedical research and the clinical aspect of the project;

• Azhara Mirzabek - designs the device, works on 3D modeling, SMM, and visual presentation.

“Our main goal is to make the device accessible not only in Kazakhstan, but across CIS countries and beyond, so that having a voice becomes not just a necessity, but a basic right for communication and full participation in society,” the team says.

Head of innovation projects at NIS Astana Ashirali Bauyrzhan sees Voice X as a vivid example of how school initiatives can grow into serious startups.

“At our school, students form their own teams, often from different classes. We have special zones for research, rest, and brainstorming. The school stage is the foundation - to spark interest, motivate, and give the first tools. Many graduates continue their projects at universities - both in Kazakhstan and abroad - and bring them to market. Some even launch pilot versions before graduation, like the Voice X team. This device has every chance to become Kazakhstan’s next major medical startup,” Bauyrzhan says.

While the team continues refining the prototype, testing it with real patients, and preparing for international competitions, their work is already giving hope to thousands: thanks to these school students, people now have a chance to speak again -naturally, confidently, and fully participating in society.