Translating large-scale brain imaging technologies into deployable mobile technologies

脑波技术，如脑电(EEG)，提供了不同大脑功能的在线记录。虽然这种低成本、便携的技术在记录大脑信号以进行头皮水平的单一时间点诊断方面非常有用，但很难监控整个大脑，因为仅使用脑电来计算大脑活动可能不准确。这使得区分来自大脑不同区域的信号变得困难。目前，只有使用昂贵、访问受限的神经成像设备，如功能磁共振成像(FMRI)和脑磁图(MEG)结合解剖MRI扫描，才能完成对大脑特定区域的分析和定位。尽管脑电和脑磁图信号来自相同的神经生理过程，但仍有重要的区别。磁场对头骨和头皮的失真比电场小，这导致脑磁图有更好的空间分辨率，从而使信号定位更准确。FMRI和MEG的高成本和缺乏便携性限制了它们在可携带性或频繁成像可以受益于结果的护理地点环境中的使用。*我们的研究将开发软件，将MEG、MRI和fMRI的高空间信息与EEG结合使用，以找到提取具有更好空间精度的EEG信号的方法。这些新技术将使EEG能够用于监测整个大脑，这将开辟新的诊断途径。这些快速成像技术的优势是在提供个性化护理的同时接触到更多的人。快速成像技术能够提供可靠的脑功能变化监测，将为指导脑损伤和相关神经疾病的持续治疗和康复提供相当大的洞察力。例如，便携式全脑成像可以帮助高风险脑震荡运动的运动员，因为它提供了一种在受伤前进行基线测试以及在受伤后恢复到基线期间进行评估的方法。一种新型监测设备的开发满足了对“在线”大脑监测日益增长的需求，并将通过利用尚未得到服务的潜在细分市场来推进生物医学工程和信号处理技术。**

Brain wave technologies such as electroencephalography (EEG) provide an online record of different brain functions. While this low-cost, portable technique has been tremendously useful in recording brain signals for single time point diagnostics at the scalp-level it is difficult to monitor the whole brain because using EEG alone to compute brain activity can be inaccurate. This makes it difficult to distinguish signals from different areas of the brain. At present, analysis and targeting of specific regions of the brain can be accomplished only using expensive, access-limited neuroimaging devices such as functional MRI (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) combined with anatomical MRI scans. Even though, EEG and MEG signals originate from the same neurophysiological processes, there are important differences. Magnetic fields are less distorted than electric fields by the skull and scalp, which results in a better spatial resolution of the MEG, allowing signals to be localized with more accuracy. The high cost and lack of portability of fMRI and MEG limits their use in point-of-care settings where portability or frequent imaging can benefit outcomes.***Our research will develop software that uses the high spatial information from MEG, MRI and fMRI combined with EEG to find methods to extract EEG signals that have better spatial accuracy. These new techniques will enable EEG to be used to monitor the whole brain, which will open up new diagnostic avenues. These rapid imaging technologies have the advantage of reaching more people while providing individualized care. The ability for rapid imaging technologies to provide a reliable monitor of brain function change would provide considerable insight to guiding on-going treatment and rehabilitation of brain injury and related neurological conditions. For example, portable whole brain imaging can help athletes in high-risk-to-concussion sports by providing a means to do baseline testing before injury as well as provide assessments during recovery back to baseline after injury. The development of a novel monitoring device fulfills a growing need for "online" brain monitoring and will advance biomedical engineering and signal processing techniques by taking advantage of potential market segments that are not yet serviced.**