ArtSkin — a startup that develops artificial skin for prosthetics

Iliias Dzheentaev, Bishkek, CTO, Instagram

How it all began

My specialization is electronics, microelectronics, and semiconductor devices. Since childhood, I dreamed of creating robots, so I enrolled in the corresponding department, where I gained the necessary knowledge. My first job was a prototype of a robotic arm manipulator. I faced the problem of grasping non-rigid objects — how to make the robot understand that it has squeezed the claw enough to secure the grip. I developed a mechanism that allows overcoming material resistance and securely grabbing objects of various shapes, textures, and densities. It was a simple mechanism, but it helped me realize that this issue is relevant for robots. Then, I started thinking about people who wear prosthetics and what they feel when they use them, and whether they feel anything at all.

I studied how human skin works, the nervous system, and receptors to understand how to design a device for transmitting touch sensations that the body would correctly perceive. This took over three years because there is little information about the structure of the skin. There is a general understanding of how nerve cells and tactile receptors function, but there is no detailed data on the formation of impulses and the parameters of the signals transmitted to the peripheral nervous system of a human. While studying bionic prostheses, I realized that they read signals from muscles close to the skin to minimize interference, but they lack feedback.

Simple mechanical prostheses operate on linkages, where muscles contract and form the grip. Bionic prostheses read signals from muscles and convert them into movement, but they do not provide feedback. The human hand feels touch and pressure, and we always understand the position of our hand, even with our eyes closed. The question is, how does a person with a prosthesis know that they have grabbed an object? I researched how this works from a mechanical perspective, but a person with a prosthesis does not have the sensation of grasping. The brain learns to perceive it as an extension of the limb, but without feedback, the control is incomplete. When using bionic prostheses, people need visual control to understand that they have grasped something. I built the first prototype with a single sensor to test the hypothesis and tried it on myself.

Team

Until recently, I worked alone. The first step toward turning my hobby into a project was made a year ago when I joined the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic. There, I saw how people presented their ideas and received grants for development. At that time, I did not know what startups and grants were, and I was not familiar with this environment at all. I needed funds to build a lab and improve conditions for research. I have a permanent job, and with my salary, I buy electronic components, order materials, and engage in design.

Incubation Programs

I participated in two programs: Dive into Silicon Valley and Unicorn from KG.

The first time I flew abroad was under the Dive into Silicon Valley program launched by the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic. We were the first cohort to go to San Francisco. It was my first exposure to the world of startups. I had prepared, but as it turned out, my expectations were far from reality.

In the first week, I met Doszhan Zhusupov from Cerebra and Jenish Jakypov from Apple. Later, I met a professor from Stanford, a neuroscience expert, who also gave me valuable advice. I am lucky to meet the right people, and I try to learn from them.

During this trip, I realized that ArtSkin is not just a hobby, but a serious endeavor that needs to be pursued and scaled. When I was asked, «Who is your team? Who are you doing this with?» I replied that I was working alone. Another question came up: «Why is this not happening in America? Why do you, sitting in Kyrgyzstan, think your project should succeed?» These and other important questions made me rethink my approach to the startup, team building, and my own story.

I did not know about the Unicorn from Kyrgyzstan program at the High Technology Park, but I happened to meet Azis Abakirov, who came to a startup meeting in Bishkek. He suggested that I participate, even though I did not feel ready. I prepared myself and became a finalist. Draper University Hero Training is a five-week program where startups prepare for the real world. We met many impressive people with diverse experiences. I became immersed in the Silicon Valley culture and am now determined to join global acceleration programs.

After this trip, I was further convinced of the importance of building a team, the culture both within and outside the team, and how essential it is to meet new people, not be shy to ask questions, and seek help. Currently, we have a 3D designer – project engineer, software and hardware engineers, and we are in the process of creating a lab at the High Technology Park. The five-person team works great, but I am still missing someone with a business background.

Target audience

The target audience for the project is companies that produce bionic prostheses. The idea is to create artificial skin that will be applied to the prosthesis and transmit sensations of touch, just like our skin does. Bionic prostheses currently lack feedback, and artificial skin will enable users to feel touch, pressure, and temperature.

My goal is to develop a technology suitable for all types of upper and lower limb prostheses. We are designing a flexible, sensitive surface with built-in temperature sensors. This will be a unified technical solution that can adapt to different types and structures of skin.

The main difference in my approach is that I stimulate the tactile receptors, which are part of the human peripheral nervous system. This eliminates the need for surgical intervention. I have tested this technology on myself and am confident that, over time, people will be able to perceive the surface of the prosthesis as an extension of their own skin.

I already have an informal agreement with a prosthetics company from Almaty, and I am working on making the sensitive surface flexible and capable of transmitting accurate information. It is crucial to start testing and observing reactions to improve the product.

Challenges

I worked on the project from home, and the main challenge was in the design process due to the lack of information about the structure of the skin. Skin is unique to each individual, with different types, and we need to create a model that is adaptable to any type. For instance, some people have thicker skin, while others have more sensitive skin. Therefore, it is important to create a model that is not only standardized but also adaptable to different skin types and prostheses.

The primary difficulty lies in the lack of precise data on how the skin is structured. For example, how the sensation of light touch is transmitted through nerve endings. I have read a lot of information, but it is mostly general — touch, signal amplitude from 0 to 150 millivolts, and frequencies ranging from 30 to 150 hertz. There is no exact data available for proper modeling, so this will have to be done experimentally, which is why clinical trials are crucial for building the model.

Achievements

Participating in pre-acceleration programs has been incredibly valuable, especially since I only started working on my startup a year ago. I have learned a lot and now understand how to develop the project further.

One of the biggest achievements has been the creation of the team. I would like to meet with surgeon Sultan Tukeshov, who was the first in Kyrgyzstan to begin implanting bionic prostheses to patients five years ago. I believe he could be an important member of our team, and I hope we will be able to discuss potential collaboration.

Plans

In January of next year, I aim to develop a flexible prototype with 32 sensors made from elastic materials. It will work on a principle similar to human skin, including the ability to transmit temperature information of objects. I have recreated a bionic prosthesis from HackBerry, purchased the necessary electronics, and enhanced it. If I had just made the surface, it would have been difficult to understand its purpose and how to use it, so I improved the prosthesis to include modern bionics with a signal-reading system that converts muscle signals into gripping motion. The sensor currently responds only to human touch, but I want it to detect all types of objects and accurately convey the depth of the touch. My goal is to implement this by January. In the summer of next year, I plan to apply for a patent.

I am also eager to join an acceleration program and secure investments for the startup, as this will allow us to pay for the team’s work — this is crucial because the team is currently working on enthusiasm alone.

Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic. I have participated in their programs twice, and the difference between before and after is simply enormous — I believe I have grown significantly. I am thankful to everyone I have met, and I am always open for dialogue and ready to help in any way I can.