Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system
Imaging human brain function with techniques such as magnetoencephalography1 (MEG) typically requires a subject to perform tasks whilst their head remains still within a restrictive scanner. This artificial environment makes the technique inaccessible to many people, and limits the experimental ques...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2018
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/ |
| _version_ | 1848798147717890048 |
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| author | Boto, Elena Holmes, Niall Leggett, James Roberts, Gillian Shah, Vishal Meyer, Sofie S. Duque Muñoz, Leonardo Mullinger, Karen J. Tierney, Tim M. Bestmann, Sven Barnes, Gareth R. Bowtell, Richard W. Brookes, Matthew J. |
| author_facet | Boto, Elena Holmes, Niall Leggett, James Roberts, Gillian Shah, Vishal Meyer, Sofie S. Duque Muñoz, Leonardo Mullinger, Karen J. Tierney, Tim M. Bestmann, Sven Barnes, Gareth R. Bowtell, Richard W. Brookes, Matthew J. |
| author_sort | Boto, Elena |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Imaging human brain function with techniques such as magnetoencephalography1 (MEG) typically requires a subject to perform tasks whilst their head remains still within a restrictive scanner. This artificial environment makes the technique inaccessible to many people, and limits the experimental questions that can be addressed. For example, it has been difficult to apply neuroimaging to investigation of the neural substrates of cognitive development in babies and children, or in adult studies that require unconstrained head movement (e.g. spatial navigation). Here, we develop a new type of MEG system that can be worn like a helmet, allowing free and natural movement during scanning. This is possible due to the integration of new quantum sensors2,3 that do not rely on superconducting technology, with a novel system for nulling background magnetic fields. We demonstrate human electrophysiological measurement at millisecond resolution whilst subjects make natural movements, including head nodding, stretching, drinking and playing a ball game. Results compare well to the current state-of-the-art, even when subjects make large head movements. The system opens up new possibilities for scanning any subject or patient group, with myriad applications such as characterisation of the neurodevelopmental connectome, imaging subjects moving naturally in a virtual environment, and understanding the pathophysiology of movement disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:15:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-50080 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:15:09Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-500802018-09-21T04:30:19Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/ Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system Boto, Elena Holmes, Niall Leggett, James Roberts, Gillian Shah, Vishal Meyer, Sofie S. Duque Muñoz, Leonardo Mullinger, Karen J. Tierney, Tim M. Bestmann, Sven Barnes, Gareth R. Bowtell, Richard W. Brookes, Matthew J. Imaging human brain function with techniques such as magnetoencephalography1 (MEG) typically requires a subject to perform tasks whilst their head remains still within a restrictive scanner. This artificial environment makes the technique inaccessible to many people, and limits the experimental questions that can be addressed. For example, it has been difficult to apply neuroimaging to investigation of the neural substrates of cognitive development in babies and children, or in adult studies that require unconstrained head movement (e.g. spatial navigation). Here, we develop a new type of MEG system that can be worn like a helmet, allowing free and natural movement during scanning. This is possible due to the integration of new quantum sensors2,3 that do not rely on superconducting technology, with a novel system for nulling background magnetic fields. We demonstrate human electrophysiological measurement at millisecond resolution whilst subjects make natural movements, including head nodding, stretching, drinking and playing a ball game. Results compare well to the current state-of-the-art, even when subjects make large head movements. The system opens up new possibilities for scanning any subject or patient group, with myriad applications such as characterisation of the neurodevelopmental connectome, imaging subjects moving naturally in a virtual environment, and understanding the pathophysiology of movement disorders. Nature Publishing Group 2018-03-29 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/1/MJB%20nature%20paper_Complete_submission.pdf Boto, Elena, Holmes, Niall, Leggett, James, Roberts, Gillian, Shah, Vishal, Meyer, Sofie S., Duque Muñoz, Leonardo, Mullinger, Karen J., Tierney, Tim M., Bestmann, Sven, Barnes, Gareth R., Bowtell, Richard W. and Brookes, Matthew J. (2018) Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system. Nature, 555 . pp. 657-661. ISSN 1476-4687 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature26147 doi:10.1038/nature26147 doi:10.1038/nature26147 |
| spellingShingle | Boto, Elena Holmes, Niall Leggett, James Roberts, Gillian Shah, Vishal Meyer, Sofie S. Duque Muñoz, Leonardo Mullinger, Karen J. Tierney, Tim M. Bestmann, Sven Barnes, Gareth R. Bowtell, Richard W. Brookes, Matthew J. Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title | Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title_full | Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title_fullStr | Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title_short | Moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| title_sort | moving magnetoencephalography towards real-world applications with a wearable system |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/50080/ |