Scientists to develop new magnetoencephalography-based brain scanners

A new form of quantum sensing technology is being used to develop advanced brain scanners for medical applications.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham and University College London have embarked on a five-year project to harness the power of magnetoencephalography (MEG) as a technique for mapping brain activity.

Measuring the magnetic fields generated by electrical currents that occur naturally in the brain, MEG techniques have the potential to quadruple the sensitivity of current cutting-edge systems, with even more pronounced 15 or 20-fold increases for children or babies.

Additionally, the device is able to operate at room temperature, and can therefore be placed directly on the scalp surface. Most current MEG systems are cumbersome, but researchers on this project have developed a 3D-printed prototype wearable helmet, meaning subjects can undertake tasks while moving freely in an open environment.

Physics-based development is being carried out in Nottingham, while University College London will perform the necessary computational and theoretical modelling of the brain.

Professor Gareth Barnes, of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London, said: "The realisation of this system is a huge but extremely exciting challenge, with the potential to revolutionise the brain imaging field."

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