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

该项目的特点是开发一种新型、高性能、低场磁共振成像（MRI）系统。该系统旨在实现成像技术的突破性研究，以及人类语言交流和睡眠科学的科学和技术，这是任何传统MRI配置都不可能实现的。这项工作包括开发用于MRI的信号处理方法，使其能够在低信噪比环境中快速成像。 这将减轻在空气-组织界面处发生的伪影，这将使得在动态成像研究期间能够以高精度跟踪组织边界，特别是那些邻近空气空间的边界，例如舌头、软腭和咽气道，这些边界不容易被其他仪器接近。新的MRI系统的声学噪声水平也将比传统系统低得多，从而可以在自然睡眠期间进行实时对话语音研究和研究。 预计新系统将推动语音研究领域的发展，通过直接研究人类在交流过程中的动态声道，并将支持语音技术的创新研究。动态成像研究是多学科的，将计算和信息科学与物理学、生物学、语言学、通信和工程学联系起来。在主校区部署一种专用于动态成像的新型磁铁，这是对研究和教学基础设施的贡献。 新的MRI系统的数据将被用于一门课程，该课程通过对语音物理机制的理论和经验描述来教授基本的物理推理和定量思维。该课程使用动态MRI数据，让学生了解元音和辅音的语音产生。新系统将允许更高质量的数据，并首次对可分析的语音音频进行声学记录。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.