MRI: Development of a High-Performance Low-Field MRI for Dynamic Imaging

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This project features the development of a novel, high-performance, low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. The system is designed to enable groundbreaking research in imaging technology, as well as in the science and technology of human spoken communication and the science of sleep, that is not possible with any conventional MRI configuration. The work includes developing signal processing methods for MRI that enable rapid imaging in low signal-to-noise ratio environments. This will alleviate artifacts that occur at air-tissue interfaces, which will make it possible to track tissue boundaries with high precision during dynamic imaging studies, particularly those adjacent to air space such as the tongue, velum, and pharyngeal airway, which are not easily accessible by other instrumentation. The new MRI system will also have a much lower level of acoustic noise than conventional systems, making it possible to perform real-time conversational speech studies and studies during natural sleep. It is anticipated that the new system will advance the field of speech research, by enabling direct investigation of the dynamic human vocal tract during communication, and will support innovative research in speech technology.Dynamic imaging research is deeply multidisciplinary and connects computational and informational sciences with physics, biology, linguistics, communication, and engineering. The deployment of a novel magnet dedicated to dynamic imaging on the host campus represents a contribution to infrastructure for research and teaching. Data from the new MRI system will be used in a course that teaches basic physical reasoning and quantitative thinking by using theoretical and empirical descriptions of the physical mechanisms of speech.The course uses dynamic MRI data to allow students to understand speech production of vowels and consonants. The new system will allow for data of higher quality and, for the first time, acoustic recording of analyzable speech audio.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.