MyMac.com Spotlight: Alexandre Amato

Who are the people behind the technology that we love so much? We know the products, the websites, the online personalities but we want to learn more! 

Every week here at MyMac.com, we will spotlight a company, developer or person that supports Apple users by creating solutions or entertainment for the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and other platforms we all use and love by asking them to answer seven questions.

This week, we turn our attention to Alexandre Amato, Vascular Surgeon and Geek!

1 – How did you get your start in technology?

I cannot pinpoint an exact moment when I “started” in technology, as it was always part of my life. Since early days, I had a computer (TK3000//e) and learned to program in Basic. But I remember I always saw technology as a mean to an end, never as the end itself. So, as years passed I became a physician, and then a surgeon, and then a vascular surgeon, but never forgot the pleasure I had using technology. One day, after years without programming, I had an idea for a new kind of measure and planning for surgeries, and returned to the developing days, creating a plugin for a medical image visualization software. Since then, I created a lot of apps to solve problems I was facing at the time, and many to easy my daily medical practice.

2 – What is your favorite computer of all time?

I could say it was my first TK3000 (Apple_IIe compatible), but I am in love with my current MacPro (2010) with 2 x 2,66 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon and 48 Gb of memory. It’s been five years, and it is working as new. This is my most durable computer yet, and it is easily upgradable.

3 – Tell us about your latest product

I developed many medical apps lately, I love and use them all in my practice. But I would like to remember my last nonmedical app, “Art in Black & White“. As I always liked photography, I was intrigued by all the possibilities and techniques of creating black and white photos. I saw that even though all algorithms showed a gray/black-white photo, each had a different artistic appeal. And you could ruin or magnify a beautiful photo just changing the parameters. It was very interesting because I had to learn a lot about those algorithms and apply them in real, and learning something new is what moves me. Check it out on http://software.amato.com.br/content/art-black-white 

4 – What was your first job?

Now I am a vascular surgeon, but my first real job was as a general surgeon. I never had a formal full-time job in the technology field. But I had many punctual jobs, like creating websites and developing apps. 

5 – What advice would you give to younger people just getting into technology?

To see technology not as an end to itself. It should be used to greater good. For example, a better CPU is not important if it is not used to anything better than just be faster. It’s new capabilities should be used to improve life in any matter or field. You don’t need to get stressed that you can see or test every new device or software, you just need to understand the current capabilities and imagine how to apply them solving problems.

6 – Who was your inspiration? 

I could say a lot of well-known people, but I prefer to remember my grandfather, Irany Novah Moraes, who always led me to use this tool in another field. He was also a surgeon and entrepreneur, and his vision of the world made him very successful. He was born and lived most of his life in a world not filled with technology but embraced it as soon as possible. 

7 – Where can people follow you online, and what is your website?

Twitter: @alexandre_amato
LinkedIn: https://br.linkedin.com/in/alexandreamato
Portfolio website: http://software.amato.com.br