Flexible Spinal Wrap Device Restores Multi-Function Signals in Rat Spinal Injury Models

The study implanted a two-row flexible array around the cord in rats and recorded directional signal propagation across three locomotor sessions per animal. Classification accuracy distinguished hindlimb movement commands from cutaneous touch and bladder pressure signals with single-session decoding. Larger-animal scaling tests confirmed signal fidelity at human-scale cord diameters, addressing a key translational barrier. Unlike single-function stimulators, the device maps multiple modalities at once, suggesting one implant could reroute traffic around chronic lesions. Next steps require chronic-injury cohorts to test whether decoded signals can drive functional neuroprostheses over months rather than acute sessions.