Episode #106| Bionic Hands For Humans and Robots: The Psyonic Story

We share how a decade of soft robotics, open APIs, and relentless iteration turned a 3D-printed prototype into a durable, touch-sensing bionic hand used by amputees and robots. Stories of failure, funding, and firsts reveal how speed, sensation, and design choices translate to real lives and real factories.

• early 3D printing wins and durability limits
• shift to soft robotics, silicone overmolding, carbon fiber reinforcement
• founding spark, Ecuador trial, and move from academia to company
• SBIR lifeline, failed crowdfunding, then coverage and clinical validation
• speed, grip force, and touch sensors compared with the market
• open API for control and data streaming in minutes
• robotics crossover in automotive and research labs
• access initiatives via the Ability Fund and global impact
• manufacturing scale plans and ethical boundaries
• practical founder habits, grit, and advice to start now

Please listen to the disclaimer at the end of this podcast

Show notes: https://3dheals.com/aadeel-akhtar-bionic-hands-for-humans-and-robots-the-psyonic-story/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/mDVMRhjXr0w?si=qoZrScjaC6nbiPMJ

About our guest:

Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO of PSYONIC, founded the company to create advanced, accessible bionic limbs after meeting a young girl in Pakistan who was missing a limb. PSYONIC's bionic Ability Hand is the fastest on the market, impact-resistant, and the first to provide a sense of touch. It is also covered by Medicare and is being used by humans and robotics companies globally, including NASA, Meta, Mercedes, and Google. Dr. Akhtar earned a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and an M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois, along with a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Computer Science from Loyola University Chicago. He’s been recognized by MIT Technology Review and Newsweek and secured a 3-shark deal on Shark Tank. 

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