Prof. Dr. Alessandro Del Vecchio

Chair of Neuromuscular Physiology and Neural Interfacing, Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering

We study how our nervous system controls muscle forces. Our research is within the neurophysiological and neuro-engineering framework and aims at providing accurate and robust applications for human/machine interfaces and neurophysiological investigations. Our end goal is to restore motor function in paralyzed individuals and to identify biomarkers of neuroplasticity.

Research projects

  • Neuromuscular control of the human hand
  • Decoding large (>thousands) populations of spinal motoneurons
  • Hybrid interface with cortical and spinal motoneurons
  • The effect of training and neurorehabilitation on behaviour of spinal and cortical motoneuro

  • Decoding and training spared motor neuron activity in children with paralyzed hands

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Project leader:
    Term: 1. July 2025 - 31. December 2026
    Acronym: PlayAgain
    Funding source: EU / European Research Council

    We have recently identified single motor neuron activity in humans with spinal cord injury and stroke resulting in complete loss of hand function. We have then demonstrated that these individuals can control with high levels of precision the spared motor neurons ensemble in real-time, up to four degrees of freedom of the hand. We have now collected pilot data in children (

  • Intuitive Steuerung von Rollstühlen mittels hochaufgelöster Muskelsignale

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Project leader: ,
    Term: 1. September 2024 - 31. August 2027
    Acronym: EMGRoll
    Funding source: Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)
  • A Direct Sensorimotor Connection with the Spared Neural Code of Movement to Regain Motor Function

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Project leader:
    Term: 1. January 2024 - 31. December 2028
    Acronym: GRASPAGAIN
    Funding source: EU / European Research Council
  • Restoring hand function with neuromuscular restrictions using an intelligent neuroorthosis

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Project leader:
    Term: 1. December 2023 - 31. May 2026
    Acronym: GraspAgain
    Funding source: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi) (seit 2018)
  • Decoding the Exact and Representative Motor Output of the Human Spinal Cord

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Project leader:
    Term: 2. November 2023 - 1. November 2029
    Acronym: DeMOTUS
    Funding source: DFG-Einzelförderung / Emmy-Noether-Programm (EIN-ENP)
  • Development of an innovative neurobandage with an integrated brain-computer interface for testing hand function

    (Third Party Funds Single)

    Term: 1. October 2023 - 31. October 2026
    Acronym: NeurOne
    Funding source: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie (StMWi) (seit 2018)

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

Related Research Fields

Contact: