Alessandro Maggi received his Ph.D. in Medical and Aerospace Engineering from Caltech under the supervision of Professor Julia Greer. His research focused on the mechanical properties of 3D nanolattices engineered to mimic native cellular environments, enhancing cell functionality. This work led to the fabrication of 3D hollow nanostructures that promoted osteoblast growth and bone-like material deposition, demonstrating that 3D mechanical cues are critical in guiding cellular behavior.
After graduating, Alessandro joined the Panel Process and Optics division at Apple, where he applied his expertise in nano- and microfabrication to the development of the Apple Vision Pro. During the transition from Apple to Ecate, he worked as a private technical consultant, supporting startups in building critical prototypes, including micro-LEDs, glucose sensors, 3D micro-capacitors for cellular force sensing, and implantable neural probes.
In 2019, he founded Ecate with the goal of leveraging the structural simplicity of spinal cord white matter to develop a bi-directional, closed-loop spinal cord-machine interface. This technology is designed to restore sensation and motor control in patients with complete spinal cord injuries. While advancing this platform, the Ecate team identified potential applications in integrating the human central nervous system with robotic systems to extend lifespan in terminally ill patients. Recognizing the complexity of this vision, Ecate adopted a stepwise approach, beginning with restoring bladder control (micturition) in paralyzed patients to validate the feasibility and robustness of their spinal cord interface before progressing toward more advanced integrations.

Spinal Cord-Machine Interfaces: Restoring Function Today, Redefining Lifespan Tomorrow.

This presentation will introduce spinal cord-machine interfaces as a scalable alternative to brain-machine interfaces for restoring function in paralysis by leveraging the spinal cord's simpler organization and somatotopy. I will outline our vision to extend lifespan by connecting the central nervous system to robotic systems when biological function fails. Finally, I will present our proof-of-concept, BLISS, a stepwise approach to validate this technology by restoring bladder control in spinal cord injury patients.

To be announced

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