Where bone, nerve and machine become one.
Prof. Max Ortiz Catalán develops bionic limbs that connect directly to the human skeleton and nervous system, and treatments that free people from phantom limb pain.
Three frontiers, one mission: restoring what was lost.
From the operating room to the clinic to conflict zones, two decades of research turned into technologies people use every day.
Bionic limbs
The first prosthesis integrated directly into a patient’s bone, nerves and muscles, with a sense of touch delivered straight to the nerves. In daily use for over 10 years.
Research & publications → 02 / PainPhantom limb pain
Phantom Motor Execution (The Lancet, 2016), Progressive Motor Training and the Stochastic Entanglement hypothesis: making PLP the exception, not the rule.
Towards eradication → 03 / HumanitarianRehabilitation without borders
Based in Ukraine, supporting the rehabilitation of more than 100,000 people with amputations, with missions across Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Get involved →From thought to touch.
Intention
Machine-learning algorithms decode motor volition from bioelectric signals, so the user simply thinks the movement.
Neural & muscular interface
Implanted electrodes on nerves and surgically reconstructed muscles capture stable, high-quality control signals.
Skeletal integration
An osseointegrated implant anchors the prosthesis directly to the bone: no socket, full range of motion.
Sensation
Direct nerve stimulation lets users perceive touch from their prosthetic hand, closing the loop between body and machine.
Two decades, measured.
First or senior author in more than 80% of his publications, leading teams across industry and academia.
Articles, proceedings, abstracts and book chapters.
Grants for bionics, pain and neurorehabilitation.
Keynotes and lectures at premier conferences and universities.
30+ professionals and 50+ graduate students and researchers.
Leading universities, hospitals and companies worldwide.
Plus 10+ international prizes and awards.
Breakthroughs, in order.
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BioPatRec, an open platform for prosthetic control via pattern recognition.
Osseointegrated human-machine gateway for long-term sensory feedback and motor control.
Phantom Motor Execution with machine learning and AR treats chronic intractable phantom limb pain.
The Stochastic Entanglement hypothesis for the origin of phantom limb pain.
Neuromusculoskeletal arm prostheses used in daily life.
A highly integrated bionic hand with neural control and feedback.
Progressive Motor Training, and rehabilitation beyond prosthetics in wartime Ukraine.
people in Ukraine have undergone major limb amputations. Every one deserves a path back.
Prof. Ortiz Catalán volunteers with charitable foundations to bring modern rehabilitation to conflict-affected and underserved regions. Engineers, clinicians, therapists and communicators can join.
Science that passes the test.
Peer-reviewed work in the world’s leading medical and engineering journals.
100+ stories, a dozen languages.
Let’s build what comes next.
Research collaborations, PhD and postdoc inquiries, media requests, consulting or patient questions.
