Kazakh scientists develop smart bionic arm controlled by muscle signals

The technology allows users to perform various gestures and grip objects of different shapes, helping restore independence in everyday activities.

The team presented the project at GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus. One of the project’s developers, Ayaulym Assylbekova, said the device is being created by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, master’s and doctoral students, as well as engineering students from Kazakhstan under the supervision of a university professor.

The “smart hand” works together with a special bracelet equipped with electromyography (EMG) sensors. These sensors detect muscle activity and transmit the collected data to a machine learning system.

“When a person contracts their muscles, the sensors capture the signals and transfer them to machine learning algorithms. The system analyzes the sequence of signals, recognizes specific gestures, and sends commands to the prosthesis. The device then performs the required action,” Assylbekova said.

According to the developers, the technology significantly expands the prosthesis’ capabilities, allowing users to hold different objects and carry out daily tasks that were previously difficult.

The project is being implemented under a research grant and has been under development for two years, involving not only software engineering but also materials research. Developers said particular attention was paid to ensuring user comfort.

“We conducted extensive research and published the results in scientific journals. The team worked on selecting materials to ensure that the combination of titanium and plastic would be comfortable for users and would not cause allergic reactions or skin irritation,” she added.

The team is currently working on the device’s third prototype, while engineers continue refining the hand’s design to improve functionality and movement accuracy. Full-scale testing has yet to be conducted.

Going forward, the developers intend to expand their research to include an exoskeleton and a bionic leg prosthesis, paving the way for further development of rehabilitation and prosthetic technologies in Kazakhstan.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that new joint treatment methods were introduced at the National Hospital.