Giving A Hand (Episode 136)
Guest: Nathan Makowski
Today we are talking with Dr. Nathan Makowski, a researcher at the VA Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, and the MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio. Nathan's research specializes in the development of neuroprosthetics and the evaluation of their capacity to improve mobility outcomes after paralysis.
Separate from his research roles at those institutions, Nathan is also the board chair for the non-profit organization, Give-A-Hand.tech. We discussed the idea of using an open-source mechanism to accelerate commercialization of devices, as well as device abandonment and its effect on the community, who are sometimes left without support after being implanted with some of these technologies. Lastly, we talk about what the Give-A-Hand.tech organization is doing to address these two issues. Give-A-Hand.tech is in its early stages, but I think their outside-of-the-box thinking and focus on community priorities is not only intriguing but necessary. This is a great conversation about fresh ideas and making progress.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud
Bumper music: Dig a Hole by Freaque
Guest Bio
Nathan Makowski, PhD, is the president of the board of directors for GIVE-A-HAND.tech, a recently started non-profit focused on enabling long-term use of abandoned implanted medical devices (mission below). This role augments his professional role as a researcher at the MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center where he is part of the APT Center and FES Center where his research focuses on developing neuroprostheses and evaluating their capacity to improve mobility after paralysis.
GIVE-A-HAND.tech’s mission is to serve as an adoptive home for people with, or who could benefit from, abandoned implantable medical devices. GIVE-A-HAND.tech will enable people to gain access to, and keep benefitting from, these devices for the remainder of their lifetimes.
Connect with Nathan Makowski here:
- Email: support@give-a-hand.tech
Related Resources
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Visit the website and learn more about Give-A-Hand.Tech, a non-profit that enables people with implanted devices to keep using them even after the devices have been abandoned by the commercial market.
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