# 230: Shark Tank, Advanced Prosthetics, and How PSYONIC's Ability Hand is Driving Accessibility for Humans and Robots Featuring PSYONIC CEO & Founder Dr. Aadeel Akhtar

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2025-04-08
- Length: 46m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, CEO and Founder of PSYONIC, discusses the development of the Ability Hand, the world’s first touch-sensing bionic hand, and the company's mission to make advanced prosthetics accessible through Medicare coverage and the Ability Fund. He details the technical evolution from early 3D-printed prototypes to current nerve-implant interfaces and the strategic pivot from academia to commercialization after a pivotal experience in Ecuador. Akhtar also shares insights on scaling production, balancing human prosthetic and robotic applications (including NASA's Valkyrie), and his experience pitching on Shark Tank to secure investment while maintaining valuation.

## Chapters

- [0:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=48) Introduction and PSYONIC's Mission
- [5:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=310) Akhtar's Origin Story and Career Pivot
- [12:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=730) Ability Hand Technology and Nerve Implants
- [17:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=1056) Accessibility, Medicare, and the Ability Fund
- [23:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=1391) Funding Strategy: Grants, Crowdfunding, and VC
- [25:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=1547) Scaling Production and Manufacturing Challenges
- [28:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=1686) Robotics Applications and NASA Partnership
- [35:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-08-230-shark-tank-advanced-prosthetics-and-how-psyonics-ability-hand-is-driving-acc#t=2152) Shark Tank Experience and Negotiation Strategy

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- PSYONIC (company)
- Ability Hand (product)
- Shark Tank (other)
- NASA (company)
- Valkyrie (product)
- Kuka (company)
- Universal Robots (company)
- Neuralink (company)
- Synchron (company)
- Phantom Neuro (company)
- National Science Foundation (company)
- StartEngine (company)
- Loyola University of Chicago (company)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (company)
- UCSD (company)
- Range of Motion Project (company)
- ARM Cortex M4 (chip)

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- [Jeremiah Robison from Cionic creates bionic clothing to help patients walk better](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-06-10-jeremiah-robison-from-cionic-creates-bionic-clothing-to-help-patients-walk-bette) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [S1E50 Turning Personal Challenges into New Technology | Robert Chappell](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-11-13-s1e50-turning-personal-challenges-into-new-technology-robert-chappell) (Being an Engineer)
- [Shark Tank, Sea Moss, and an Ocean of Potential with Alexiou Gibson (2022)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-03-shark-tank-sea-moss-and-an-ocean-of-potential-with-alexiou-gibson-2022) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [156. 2023 Recap & First Annual Saucies!🥫🍾](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-01-09-156-2023-recap-first-annual-saucies) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [What's next for Waymo's robotaxis, Dusty Robotics' Tessa Lau, robotic prosthetics with Coapt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-10-15-whats-next-for-waymos-robotaxis-dusty-robotics-tessa-lau-robotic-prosthetics-wit) (The Robot Report Podcast)

## Citing this page

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