Portable brain scanner that links brain signals to brain structure
Official title: Non-cryogenic Fieldable Interleaved Magnetoencephalography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging based on Multichannel Atomic Magnetometers
Funded at Triad National Security, LLC · NIH-11248011 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new portable device will combine non-cryogenic magnetic sensors and ultra-low-field MRI to map fast brain signals together with anatomy for people with brain disorders like epilepsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Triad National Security, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Alamos, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $345,639 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EB032895-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248011 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with focal brain disorders—especially those with epilepsy who need better localization of seizure sources or pre-surgical mapping—are the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who require high-field MRI detail, have MRI-incompatible implants, or whose conditions do not involve focal brain electrical activity may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project will build a compact system that alternates between magnetoencephalography (MEG) and ultra-low-field MRI using atomic magnetometers to record brain activity and anatomy in the same coordinate system. It replaces bulky, cryogenically cooled sensors and heavy shielding with room-temperature alkali-metal vapor sensors to make the technology more practical for clinics. By directly linking precise timing of brain signals to specific brain structures, the device aims to help doctors locate problem areas such as seizure foci and plan surgeries more accurately. Early work focuses on creating a 16-channel sensor module and testing combined imaging performance on human brains.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make precise brain mapping more accessible and improve diagnosis and surgical planning for conditions such as epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Combining MEG and MRI has been done using cryogenic SQUID sensors in shielded rooms, but using portable atomic magnetometers for interleaved, non-cryogenic imaging is novel and less clinically tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Triad National Security, LLC
Los Alamos, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Young Jin — Triad National Security, LLC
- Study coordinator: Kim, Young Jin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Systemic imaging probes for detecting tissue oxygen levels in cancer and other diseases
A researcher aims to develop a new europium-based MRI contrast agent that can be given systemically to visualize oxygen levels (hypoxia) in cancer and other diseases.
-
Improving deep brain stimulation with MRI and AI
We use brain scans and artificial intelligence to speed up and personalize deep brain stimulation settings for people getting DBS.
-
How teens’ social media use affects mood and behavior with brain clues
Teenagers’ use of social media and online interactions may shape their mood and behavior, and this project looks at how brain activity relates to those experiences.
-
Portable MRI to identify brain injury after cardiac arrest
A portable, low-field MRI test is being studied to quickly identify brain injury in adults after cardiac arrest to guide treatment in the emergency room or ICU.
-
Understanding heart fibrosis with AI, MRI, and genomics
A doctor-scientist is using artificial intelligence, advanced heart MRI, and genetic data to learn how scar tissue forms in the aging heart and how to prevent it.
-
Ultrashort Echo Time MRI of the Knee to Detect Early Osteoarthritis
A new MRI technique using ultrashort echo time sequences to image knee tissues and detect early signs of knee osteoarthritis in patients.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.