Kazakhstan has quietly crossed an important technological milestone.
A locally developed medical exoskeleton designed to help people relearn how to walk after stroke or serious neurological injury has officially completed state registration and is now ready for mass production, DKNews.kz reports.
The device is called Astana Gait Exoskeleton Assisted Rehabilitation (A.GEAR), and it was created by researchers at Nazarbayev University. After passing all technical and clinical stages, A.GEAR received regulatory approval from Kazakhstan’s National Center for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices, clearing the final barrier between the laboratory and real hospital wards.
From lab prototype to certified medical device — in four years
In global medical engineering, speed is everything — and A.GEAR’s timeline is unusually fast. According to project leader Prashant Jamwal, the entire journey from early research to a fully certified medical product took just four years.
“Worldwide, this process usually takes 10 to 15 years,” he said. “We managed to move from laboratory research to a certified medical device in a fraction of that time.”
Development began in late 2021 at NU’s Center for Excellence in Medical Robotics & Research, where engineers, clinicians, and robotics specialists worked side by side to create a system tailored specifically to local medical needs — not imported assumptions.
Why A.GEAR matters for patients and the healthcare system
Exoskeletons are already used in advanced rehabilitation centers around the world, but they come with a serious downside: cost. Imported robotic rehabilitation systems can cost hospitals hundreds of thousands of dollars, limiting access to only a few elite clinics.
A.GEAR changes that equation.
Because it is developed and manufactured domestically, the system costs several times less than foreign analogues. This makes advanced robotic rehabilitation realistic not just for private centers, but for public hospitals across the country.
For patients recovering from stroke, cerebral palsy, or musculoskeletal disorders, this means earlier access to intensive gait training — one of the most critical factors in long-term recovery.
Proven in real clinics, not just on paper
Before approval, A.GEAR was tested in clinical settings in Karaganda and Astana. Trials involved both adult stroke survivors and adolescents with cerebral palsy, ensuring the device could handle different rehabilitation scenarios and body mechanics.
Only after passing both technical validation and clinical trials did the exoskeleton move forward to state registration — a process known for its strict requirements.
From research to industry: local production begins
Commercialization of the project is now led by Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, headed by NU graduate Shyngys Dauletbayev. Production is planned at the Nazarbayev University Technopark, with at least five exoskeleton units scheduled for manufacture in 2026.
This is only the beginning. Capacity is expected to expand as hospitals begin replacing higher-cost imported equipment with the local system.
At the same time, the team is preparing a long-term supply agreement with SK-Pharmacy and actively searching for a national distribution partner.
More than one device — a signal of technological maturity
NU President Waqar Ahmad emphasized that A.GEAR represents more than a single successful product.
“Our scientists are among the top 2% of the world’s best researchers,” he said. “Their work contributes not only to Kazakhstan’s development, but to global progress in medicine and technology.”
In practical terms, A.GEAR shows that Kazakhstan can now design, certify, and produce complex medical robotics — a field traditionally dominated by a handful of high-income countries.
For patients learning to walk again, and for a healthcare system looking to reduce dependence on expensive imports, that’s not just innovation. It’s independence.
