Feb 9, 2026

In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek sits down with Francesco Petrini, co-founder and CEO of SensArs, to discuss how intraneural stimulation could help restore sensation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Francesco explains how loss of feeling in the feet can lead to unnoticed injuries, chronic wounds, and even amputations - and why rebuilding sensory feedback could dramatically improve quality of life. The conversation explores SensArs’ approach to neuromodulation and what it takes to translate sensory neuroprosthetics into real-world clinical impact.

Top 3 Takeaways:

• In diabetic neuropathy, the biggest danger is invisible damage: when patients lose sensation in their feet, they may not notice external threats like hot sand or a pebble in their shoe, and they also lose the natural sensory feedback that helps regulate balanced walking - leading to abnormal pressure, skin breakdown, ulcers, and ultimately a higher risk of amputation.
• Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most expensive health burdens in the US: its complications cost the healthcare system roughly $80 billion per year, making it comparable to cancer and among the top drivers of medical spending - yet sensory restoration still isn’t available, highlighting the urgent need for better solutions.
• Restored sensation can translate into real functional gains: in prior studies with amputees, SensArs showed that patients not only felt sensory feedback, but actually used it - walking ~30% faster (including on uneven ground and stairs), reducing falls by ~80%, and even eliminating nerve-related pain. With those results in hand, most of the upgraded system is clinic-ready, with the stimulator being the main remaining component needing additional testing.

1:00 Do you want to introduce yourself better than I just did?

5:00 So the ulcer occurs as a result of walking incorrectly?

6:45 What caused you to go after this indication?

10:30 Sponsorship by blackswan-ip 

11:00 Can you describe you technology and what is involved in this implantation and product?

14:00 Are the shoes more attractive than current shoes? And could this be done via just an app?

16:45 What's the advantage of having the implant as well as the electronic insole?

18:30 And the notification needs to be timely, damage can happen within a few minutes?

20:00 What stage are you and your company at?

22:15 How did you go from being a successful researcher to going into entrepreneurship?

23:45 What was the timeline of your progress?

26:15 Is this intraneural stimulation something that would be useful for other indications as well?

27:45 Does diabetic neuropathy mean that the nerve you implant into eventually will die as well?

28:45 Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?