Extended Data Figure 2. Protocols and technology of the spinal cord stimulation system.

Step 1: A Neural Research Programmer interface (screen snapshot) encodes stimulation protocols that are pre-programmed into a table uploaded to the implantable pulse generator. Each row of this table corresponds to a specific electrode configuration (cathodes and anodes) and stimulation features (amplitude, frequency, pulse width and duration of stimulation). During experiments, the control computer selects the rows to be executed. The plot reports the distribution of temporal delays introduced by the communication between the decoder and the Neural Research Programmer (n = 5000). Step 2: stimulation commands are transmitted to the implantable pulse generator. Commands are first broadcasted via Bluetooth to a module that converts them into infrared signals transferred to the stimulation programmer device. The Bluetooth to infrared module and the stimulation programmer were embedded into a jacket worn by the monkeys during the experiments. The stimulation programmer transmitted the stimulation commands into the implantable pulse generator via induction telemetry. The antenna was placed under the jacket, in contact with the skin and aligned to the implantable pulse generator. The plot reports the distribution of delays needed to transmit the stimulation commands from the Neural Research Programmer to the implantable pulse generator. Step 3: The implantable pulse generator executed the selected stimulation protocols. After execution of the stimulation command, the implantable pulse generator switched to idle mode. The shape of a single charge balanced cathodic pulse is shown in the inset (1). The plot reports the distribution of time delays required to execute a single stimulation command by the implantable pulse generator.