Sefidanis Certified as Sole Macedonian Manufacturer of Humanoid Robots, Smart Monuments and Telemedicine Devices

The Research & Development company Sefidanis, based in Ohrid, has received official recognition from the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia as the country’s only registered manufacturer in three highly specialised categories: humanoid robots, smart monuments and telemedicine devices. Портал ТВМ+2OhridPress+2

With Certificate no. 18-783/3, the Chamber confirms the company’s registration for research and development activities, its potential for foreign trade, and – most importantly – its status as the sole producer in these advanced product categories on the Macedonian market. LinkedIn+1

According to the announcement, this recognition is more than a formality. It validates the technological and innovative capacity of Sefidanis to design and manufacture AI-based humanoid robots, interactive smart monuments and next-generation telemedicine devices. At the same time, the certificate streamlines export procedures by clarifying customs tariff codes for these novel products and signals to international partners that these solutions come from a verified, specialised manufacturer. Портал ТВМ+2OhridPress+2

In his public statement, founder Prof. Anis Sefidanis, PhD – Associate Professor of Artificial Intelligence & Robotics at the University of Information Science & Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” in Ohrid – emphasised that the recognition is both a responsibility and an opportunity. From Ohrid, via the N99 Tech Park initiative, the company aims to show that cutting-edge deep-tech products can be conceived, engineered and exported from North Macedonia, without waiting for “perfect conditions” to appear. OhridPress+2LinkedIn+2

From digital humanity to certified deep tech

The certificate formally acknowledges a journey that began several years ago in what Prof. Sefidanis calls the field of digital humanity – projects at the intersection of AI, immersive media and cultural heritage. Media coverage consistently highlights three flagship creations that combine hardware, software and artificial intelligence into expressive, human-centred “avatars”: the Smart Monument of Grigor Prlichev, the Totem of the Future, and the humanoid DJ robot Alshar. OhridPress+2Иновативност+2

The virtual smart monument of Grigor Prlichev was inaugurated on 10 August 2022 in the UNESCO city of Ohrid. Installed at Dolna Porta, it brings the 19th-century poet to life as a highly realistic digital avatar, using original photographs and sculptures reconstructed through advanced AI-based photogrammetry. The system integrates Macedonian speech recognition and synchronised audio-visual narration, allowing visitors to converse with the “Second Homer” day and night, in all seasons. Ohrid.gov.mk – Ohrid.gov.mk

Local authorities describe the installation as a pioneering example of digital cultural heritage, where computer science and the humanities meet to preserve and reinterpret memory in both the physical city and the emerging metaverse. The monument has drawn significant public attention – including a widely reported case of vandalism only days after its launch, which further underlined its visibility and symbolic value. Ohrid.gov.mk – Ohrid.gov.mk+1

Building on this work, Prof. Sefidanis was later granted a national patent for his “Smart Monument” invention, presented by UIST as a revolutionary blend of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and eco-conscious design. UIST+1 This patented concept provides the technological backbone for new smart-monument projects and is directly reflected in the product category recognised by the Economic Chamber.

Parallel to the cultural-heritage projects, the company developed Alshar, the first Macedonian humanoid robot and one of the world’s first humanoid DJ robots. In August and September 2024, regional outlets reported its premiere in Ohrid: a full-scale anthropomorphic robot, designed to create original music and perform as a professional DJ using integrated AI models that analyse the audience and adapt the musical set in real time. vrabotuvanje.com.mk+4Иновативност+4Иновативност+4

Interviews and features describe Alshar as a fully Macedonian product, combining mechatronic components for fine and coarse human-like motion with generative AI systems for music, speech and sound. The project has already attracted international media interest and has been showcased through performances, music premieres and specialised technology programmes. Иновативност+2Res publica+2

Together, these projects created the technological, artistic and organisational foundation on which the Sefidanis R&D company grew – and which the Economic Chamber now formally recognises as an industrial capacity.

Smart monuments as a new layer of urban heritage

The smart monument product line extends the original Prlichev installation into a broader platform for cities and institutions that want to preserve and re-imagine cultural heritage with AI. The patented concept combines several layers: environmental sensors and hardware in the physical space, AI-driven avatars that speak and interact with visitors, and cloud platforms that can extend the same monument into virtual and mixed-reality environments. Ohrid.gov.mk – Ohrid.gov.mk+2UIST+2

For a city like Ohrid, the municipal communications explicitly frame this as a strategic need: a UNESCO-listed environment that must be digitally documented and made accessible to future generations, while also offering unique experiences to visitors that cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. Ohrid.gov.mk – Ohrid.gov.mk

By recognising “smart monuments” as a distinct export category, the Chamber effectively validates this new type of cultural technology as a legitimate industrial product – not just a one-off art installation. It opens the door for similar monuments dedicated to other historical figures, scientific topics or intangible heritage, both in North Macedonia and abroad.

Humanoid robots: from research prototype to export-ready product

The humanoid robot product line is anchored in the Alshar platform but aims beyond a single DJ persona. Interviews and technical explanations emphasise that the robot is designed as a modular research and application platform: its anthropomorphic body can host different AI capabilities, from creative performance and education to demonstration of human–robot collaboration in public or industrial settings. Instagram+3Иновативност+3Иновативност+3

Media features about Alshar consistently note that it is conceived as a symbol of the fourth industrial revolution, which – in Prof. Sefidanis’ view – will be led by robotics and artificial intelligence and will transform every sector of society, much like electricity did in earlier centuries. Res publica+1

By certifying Sefidanis as the sole Macedonian manufacturer in the “humanoid robot” category, the Economic Chamber recognises not only a single prototype, but an emerging capacity to design, build and support families of humanoid robots for different use cases, from education and culture to entertainment and advanced R&D collaborations.

Telemedicine devices for accessible, AI-enabled healthcare

The third certified category, telemedicine devices, positions Sefidanis within a strategic area for the Western Balkans. Academic and clinical studies over the last decade have repeatedly underlined the potential of telemedicine and AI-supported e-health systems in North Macedonia, especially for patients in remote or underserved areas and for cross-border care networks. js.ugd.edu.mk+3isij.eu+3ResearchGate+3

Against this backdrop, the Sefidanis telemedicine line focuses on devices that can bridge distance between patients and medical professionals, integrating sensors, connectivity and AI-driven decision support into compact systems suitable for use in clinics, rural practices or mobile settings. The Chamber’s certificate explicitly lists telemedicine device as a dedicated product category alongside humanoid robots and smart monuments, confirming that these solutions are not only research prototypes but recognised export goods. Портал ТВМ+1

This direction builds on prior research by Prof. Sefidanis and collaborators in digital healthcare architectures, blockchain-enabled health data management and next-generation e-health ecosystems, where telemedicine is treated as a core component of future healthcare systems. ResearchGate+2UKLO Repository+2

A platform for partnerships from Ohrid to the world

For Sefidanis, the Economic Chamber’s certificate is both a milestone and a starting point. It confirms that the company’s three main activity clusters – humanoid robotics, digital heritage through smart monuments, and AI-enabled telemedicine – have reached a level of maturity where they can be classified, exported and offered as reliable products to partners worldwide. Портал ТВМ+2OhridPress+2

At the same time, the story behind the certificate is also a story about how a regional university ecosystem, a research-driven company and a UNESCO city can work together to turn ambitious deep-tech ideas into real-world systems that serve education, culture, tourism and healthcare.

From a smart monument that lets citizens “speak” with a 19th-century poet, through a humanoid DJ robot that composes its own music, to telemedicine devices that extend the reach of doctors, Sefidanis now carries a national mandate – and an international invitation – to continue shaping this intersection of technology and society.

References / Sources and original dates

University of Information Science and Technology “St. Paul the Apostle” – “Innovation at the Intersection of Deep Tech Entrepreneurship and Higher Education” (news and event information, 27 November 2025). UIST

TVM Ohrid – “„Сефиданис” сертифициран како единствен производител на хуманоидни роботи, паметни споменици и телемедицински уреди” (news report, 13 November 2025). Портал ТВМ

OhridPress – “Друштвото за истражување и развој „Сефиданис” доби официјален Сертификат од Стопанската комора на Македонија” (news article, 12 November 2025). OhridPress

Inpress – “Друштвото за истражување и развој „Сефиданис” доби официјален Сертификат од Стопанската комора на Македонија” (news article, 12 November 2025). inpress.mk

LinkedIn – Anis Sefidanis, PhD: announcement of the Economic Chamber certificate no. 18-783/3 and explanation of its significance for export, innovation and social impact (post, November 2025). LinkedIn

Facebook and Instagram – Sefidanis and partner channels mirroring the certificate announcement and images from the Economic Chamber ceremony (posts, November 2025). Facebook+1

Municipality of Ohrid – “ПРОМОВИРАН ВИРТУЕЛНИОТ ПАМЕТЕН СПОМЕНИК НА ГРИГОР ПРЛИЧЕВ” (official municipal news on the smart monument launch, 10 August 2022). Ohrid.gov.mk – Ohrid.gov.mk

Nova Makedonija – “Вандализиран дигиталниот споменик на Григор Прличев во Охрид” (news report on the smart monument and subsequent vandalism, August 2022). Нова Македонија

UIST and UIST social channels – announcements that Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anis Sefidanis has been awarded a patent for his innovative “Smart Monument” invention (news and social posts, 30 May 2025). UIST+1

Inovativnost.mk – “Професорот Анис Сефиданис oд Охрид го креираше првиот робот-диџеј во светот” (feature article on the humanoid DJ robot, 24 August 2024). Иновативност+1

Inovativnost.mk – “Првиот македонски робот „Алшар” на професорот Сефиданис предизвика огромен интерес во светот” (coverage of Alshar and its international reception, 28 February 2025). Иновативност+1

ResPublica – “Анис Сефиданис: Првиот хуманоиден робот во Македонија живее во Охрид” (interview on robots, AI and the fourth industrial revolution, 8 August 2024). Res publica

Reporter.mk, Kultura24.mk, Vrabotuvanje.com.mk and TV21 / other regional outlets – reports on the premiere of the humanoid DJ robot Alshar in Ohrid on the occasion of the Independence Day of North Macedonia (September 2024). YouTube+3Reporter.mk+3kultura24.mk+3

Selected academic and technical references on telemedicine and e-health in North Macedonia and the wider region, providing contextual background for the telemedicine device line: “Telemedicine in Macedonia – Smart I (Eye) Advisory Rescue System” (2017), WiMAX-supported telemedicine and e-medicine systems (2014), recent studies on telemedicine for family doctors (2024), and analyses of mobile health monitoring systems (2023). js.ugd.edu.mk+4isij.eu+4ResearchGate+4

Research publications co-authored by Anis Sefidanis on frameworks for next-generation digital healthcare systems and connected health architectures, including blockchain-enabled health data management (2019–2022). ResearchGate+2UKLO Repository+2