“People were right, I thought, … I can’t do anything without an arm. When I was rejected from engineering college because I didn’t have one arm, I thought, life had ended for me. I came back, dark thoughts clouding my mind, and I felt life was over. And then I came across Bioniks” – Muhammad Hamza Khan
Two mechatronics engineering graduates Ovais Hussain Qureshi & Anas Niaz from a Pakistani university (SZABIST) have embarked on a ground-breaking product: developing state-of-the-art, artificial intelligence-powered prosthetic arms. These prosthetics, controlled through a brain interface, are designed, developed, and assembled locally at affordable prices, with the potential not only to change but also to save lives.
Bioniks was born and the makers haven’t looked back since then.
Since its inception, Bioniks has been a beacon of innovation and hope. The youngest beneficiary of their advanced engineering technology is four-year-old Muhammad Sideek. This social enterprise has equipped numerous individuals with prosthetic arms, offering not just hope, but also the means for an independent livelihood and the courage to face life anew.
Ovais Qureshi, founder & ceo member of Bioniks, shared insights into their impactful work: “We provided a prosthetic arm to a young man reliant on his family’s financial support. Previously, he received Rs. 10,000 monthly from them due to his inability to find employment. Now, with his new prosthetic limb, he earns Rs. 35,000, enjoys an independent life, and even contributes to his family’s welfare.”
In another instance, a new mother who had lost both arms in a tragic accident was on the brink of despair. Equipped with Bionic arms, she now cares for her infant, embracing life and motherhood with renewed happiness and purpose, confident in her ability to be an active part in her child’s upbringing.
Ovais further elaborated: “Bioniks is a Pakistani initiative, creating cutting-edge AI-powered Bionik arms for individuals who have lost their arms in accidents or were born without them. These brain-controlled bionic arms restore autonomy to amputees, enabling them to reclaim their lives.”
Bioniks youngest recipient is 4 year old Muhammad Sideek and through its smart engineering technology, the social enterprise has provided arms to multiple recipients, not only giving hope, but a means of livelihood, sustenance and courage to many who had lost hope to ever lead an independent life.
Hamza is one such person.
His lifelong dream, which he believed was unattainable, was to drive a car, ride a bike, eat with his right hand, shake hands, find gainful employment, and “do more” in life. This dream became a reality when he received a bionic arm at 22 years old.
Bioniks is embarking on a fundraising mission this Ramzan with the goal of donating 500 Bionic arms at no cost to those who have only dreamed of such a gift. Support their cause and hear Hamza’s story to learn how you can help individuals like him fulfil their dreams.
A Dream Fulfilled
“I was 22 years old when I received my arm for the first time. It only took a few hours to learn its use. Now, I can drink water, hit the gym, and drive a car or motorcycle. My friends call me ‘The Terminator,’ but to me, the arm signified a fresh start in life,” Hamza shares his experience with great passion.
However, Hamza’s journey didn’t end there. The 22-year-old always harbored grand aspirations. Although he couldn’t become an aeronautical engineer, getting a Bioniks arm made him realize that perhaps fate had bigger plans for him.
Muhammad Hamza Khan now serves as a community manager at Bioniks. “I was born without my right arm, which made facing society and life’s challenges as a person with a disability very tough. There are always questions, obstacles, and the looming query: what can this person achieve in life?” Hamza’s poignant words reflect the harsh realities faced by many who, like him, navigate life relinquishing their dreams.
“In my school days, I had many classmates whose behavior towards me was quite hurtful. I had just one true friend. There were others, of course, but he was the best—always supportive. His presence made the bullies hesitate, and he often stood up to them on my behalf.”
A Tough Moment In Life?
“They told me I wasn’t capable,” Hamza said, his voice fading away.
Hamza had aspired to be an aeronautical engineer, but after passing the entrance exam, he was denied admission to the degree program because he was missing an arm.
“People have rejected me for many things, but never for this hand,” Hamza reflected on a difficult time in his life.
“The most challenging and disheartening moment for me was being rejected for the first time because of my hand. I had passed the engineering test, but they said I couldn’t pursue engineering. I was devastated. I couldn’t bear it. I had studied for it, achieved the necessary scores, prepared for the aptitude test, and passed. My documentation was complete; everything was in order, and yet they refused me solely because of my hand. It was incredibly hard for me to comprehend and accept. It was a profound low point for me,” Hamza expressed, his tone heavy with defeat, clearly indicating this was one of his life’s hardest moments.
“I returned home and wondered, what now? You study for one thing, do everything correctly, and then suddenly, all your dreams, all your efforts, come crashing down. I began to believe that what people said was true, that someone like me is incapable of achieving anything… ‘There’s nothing for you,’ they would say, and I started to think they were indeed right.”
Hamza recounted the day he faced rejection, his dreams of becoming an aeronautical engineer dashed forever
“I was heartbroken when I was told after the engineering test that I could never be an aeronautical engineer,” Hamza continued. “While scrolling through my phone, I stumbled upon a social media video of a man playing guitar with his right hand and a prosthetic arm. It captivated me. I called the number in the video, and to my surprise, the guitarist with the bionic prosthetic arm answered. Later, I visited Bioniks and saw his arm; it was unlike any standard prosthetic—it was more sophisticated and advanced…not like the dumb prosthetics I had seen before”
Allah’s Plans
After watching that video and then getting my own bionic arm, I realized that Allah has plans for us. I was so dejected when I didn’t get the admission, I felt my life was over. But then, I saw this prosthetic arm that can allow me to do everything I wanted to in life, everything I had wanted to do since 22 years and it was like, I got my life back again. I came here, and I saw other people like me, who had started living their life in a better way. Now, I am doing my BBA from a different university, so now when I counsel people in Bioniks here, and I counsel them all, I explain to them that how beneficial this hand is for you, what all you can do with it. Because I have been in the place they are now.”
This arm has changed my whole life.
So What Is A Dumb Prosthetic? I Asked
“In a Dumb Prosthetic, you have a wire and you have to carry it with your belt and shoulder. This arm is plug and play, just like this.”, explained Hamza, demonstrating the mechanism in a simple motion. He showed me in 2 easy steps: “You have to remove it like this and wear it like this”. Explained Hamza, swiftly pulling out his arm in a matter of seconds and then clicking it back into position. “It will not pull. It will not come out at all and when you want to open it, you can close it. It has a battery and a run time of 3 days and when it is almost empty, it charges in 3 hours.” Hamza showed off his bionic prosthetic, proudly waring like a badge of honour, and one felt the passion running through his veins, knowing that this arm is his lifeline to greater and bigger things in life!
Hamza continued with greater passion, sweeping me along on his journey:
“The first experience I had was that for any Muslim, drinking water and eating food with your right hand is a great blessing. And this is Sunnah as well. So it took me 22 years of my life to complete this Sunnah and this blessing.”
Muhammad Hamza Khan
“I used to ride on my friend’s bike,” Hamza recalled. “But soon, I was riding my own bike from his office to my house. When I got home, I surprised my mother, and she was overjoyed. She took me to all our relatives’ homes to show them what I could do with my arm. I demonstrated that I now have a supportive device, an arm with which I can perform all my tasks: riding a bike, driving a car, picking up objects, and completing daily routines, drinking water just like everyone else. Whatever you do, I can now do it too, very easily.” His words laced with pride at every recollection, his voice heavy with emotion as he recounts his journey.
“People’s doubts about me have shifted; now, confidence has naturally taken the place of those doubts. One of my goals was to hit the gym. I embraced new challenges with this arm, like lifting weights. Now I can lift 8 kgs. I’ve worked on my biceps and triceps,” Hamza said, proudly flexing his arm. The gym visits are a part of life for a young man in his twenties, right? I smiled inwardly, understanding what those workouts meant to him.
On Earning “The Terminator” title
Hamza elaborated: “At university, my friends gazed at me curiously and inquired, ‘What is this robotic thing?’ They began calling me Terminator. I’ve always been fond of Terminator. After all, it’s an excellent movie,” he said, beaming from ear to ear.
Hamza’s life has transformed since becoming a community manager at Bioniks, where he mentors individuals in need of prosthetic arms. His life choices and the remarkable bionic arm stand as a beacon of hope, demonstrating to many that life is far from over; it’s a new beginning.
An intriguing fact: The AI-powered, brain-controlled arm created by Bioniks Pakistan is priced at approximately PKR 1650 USD 450,000 PKr domestically and 12000 USD internationally, offering a more affordable and advanced alternative to traditional prosthetics produced elsewhere.
How You Can Help
This Ramzan, Bioniks aims to provide 500 individuals with prosthetic arms and seeks your support. If you are moved by Hamza’s story and wish to offer hope and a new lease on life to many like him, please reach out through the Whatsapp number provided below. Your assistance can not only change lives, but save them too.
Bioniks is a social enterprise dedicated to serving humanity in all aspects of life. It stands as a lifeline for people with disabilities, extending a helping hand through advanced prosthetic limbs. Bioniks presents a game-changing moment in innovative smart technology in providing artificial limbs available in Pakistan.
Help further the cause and give life a second chance!
For more information, please contact the given number.
Call UAN: 03311110783
WhatsApp: +92 333 0600783
