There are some things in life, just like Humpty Dumpty, that once broken, can no longer be put back together again. The same can be said for one’s ear drums and vocal cords. Singers such as Julie Andrews (of Sound of Music fame), whose legendary voice experienced permanent damaged in an operation which happened half a decade ago, might just benefit in the future after the synthetic vocal cord is perfected. The video that you see above was filmed in the lab of 2012 ACS Priestley Medalist and MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer, and since a picture speaks a thousand words, it makes sense for this video to explain just how artificial polymer vocal cords could be the solution in repairing damaged vocal tissue.
In fact, research has shown that slightly more than 5% of the US population do suffer from one form of vocal disorder or another, and these are more often than not caused by vocal cords which have stiffened due to scarring. This particular polymer developed in a partnership with Steven Zeitels, professor of laryngeal surgery at Harvard Medical School, Langer and Harvard Instructor of Surgery Sandeep Karajanagi, will mimic the vibration of human vocal cords, so if you do not have Wolverine’s legendary healing factor, this might just help one out.
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